Pray For War
by Miss Sevenfold98
Summary: Commander Valkery Syn thought Afghanistan was hell but she was wrong...She thought she could protect her team but that was the biggest lie of all...Monsters don't exist right? Wrong...Monsters are real and they are on Mars. (John X OC)
1. Shadows of the past

_**Shadows of the past.**_

_Three years ago._

_Kholm, Afghanistan. 0800 hours, Friday the thirteenth September 2043._

"Sin, move out, now!" Brian called over the comms.

"Almost done" I whispered into my mic while I finished transferring the files containing vital information about human trafficking onto a hard drive.

RRTS unit one we were classed as, we were the brains and brawn behind high threat operation. Some called us assassins some called us spies but we called ourselves the Rapid Response Tactical Team: Unit one. Whenever the military needed info or if an operation failed we were sent in to finish the job. With only four of us we could sneak in and out easily.

We were on a mission in Afghanistan collecting vital Intel for a private organisation that associated themselves with our elite task force. This mission was strange, something about it didn't click together. Perhaps it was because we'd never taken orders from someone outside the military. All of us were trained in hand to hand combat and specialised in firearms. We were the best there was…but nothing could prepare us for the events to come.

The orders on this mission were to split up and search the four main villages know for Taliban activity individually, we didn't question it. But god I wish we had.

"Give me three minutes" My eyes widened at the horrific details that these files contained as I scrolled through them. Then a title caught my eye and I clicked on the file.

_Elite Special Taskforce: RRTS Unit.1_

_Mission: Blackbird_

_Members: Commander: _

_Valkery Syn (Sinister) - _

_Sargent: Brian Falcon (Hurricane)_

_Staff Sargent: Eric Fantom (Ghost_

_Known Weaponry: _

_Valkery: Military issue M40 sniper rifle, Desert Eagle, Arx-160 assault rifle, Glock 34 ,Brass knuckles, various hunting knives._

_Brian: Ak-12 Assault rifle, Mg4 light machine gun, Glock 34, Xm29 grenade launcher, various hunting knives._

_Eric: M249 Light machine gun, Barretta 90two pistol, Ruger Blackhawk revolver, M61 Vulcan canon, various hunting knives. _

_Location: Afghanistan, Kholm_

_Time of arrival: 0500 hours, Friday the thirteenth._

"Son of a bitch" I looked through the file once more and saw no mention of Athena in the information.

"Son of a bitch! She's killed us all" I whispered as I paced the small hut and retrieved the hard drive. I placed it safely into a pocket in my vest. Brian was less than a kilometre away, Ghost was about ten and Raven was close to twelve. God I hoped she was twelve kilometres away.

My hands shakily pressed the numbers on my satellite phone and I placed it to my ear.

"Pick up…pick up" My heart raced at the sound of the dial tone.

"Commander?"

"Brian get Ghost and get out of there…Athena…is the informant, they know everything…You have five minutes. Go" I said firmly and pressed the end call button quickly as footsteps approached from outside.

"Shit" I dropped to the ground and hugged my assault close before peeking out the glassless window in the mud brick hut. The Taliban stood outside the hut clad in camo with scarfs across their faces holding Ak-47's. "Ghost, do you copy?" My hand shakily held the button down of my mic and released it with fear. I slowly peaked around the corner of the doorway where the Taliban where fanned out and searching for me. "What is your location?" He asked in calmly. Ghost had the chopper he could fly to Brian's location and both could return to base. I would deal with Athena.

"I've been seen, Ghost take the info and run" I whispered into the mic with tears gathering in my eyes. I wasn't going to let her get away with the planned assassination of RRTS unit 1.

"Ghost, we need an evac at Sin's location" Brian's voice rang in my ear as I took a deep breath and placed my finger on the trigger of my assault rifle.

"Brian fall back to base, that's an order, soldier! Eric you make sure he listens" I said firmly and stepped out from behind the doorway. Now I think about it I always thought I'd die by the barrel of a gun or the edge of a knife…it was fitting. I'd done so many things in the name of my country…evil things but today was judgement day and I was sure to lose.

"No! Syn!...Valkery!" Brian's voice echoed in my ear as I pressed my trigger and rained bullets onto the Taliban. I struck down at least seven of the Afghan extremists before they started firing back. I was fast but out running bullets was a skill not even I had. My feet hit the ground running and I slid behind a barrel for a shield while I reloaded another magazine into my rifle. Bullets whizzed past the tin barrel some even going through but I remained still. My heart raced with pure adrenaline and fear, it was what kept me focused and sharp.

"Come out, Soldier" A man with a heavy accent said from about twenty metres back. Sweat beads dripped into my eyes and I hurriedly wiped them with my sleeve.

It had to be at least fifty to one at the moment but I knew more would come there was always more of these criminals hidden somewhere. Pulling my glasses on, I pressed the heat seeking button and looked for the heat signatures of these people. Four stood a few feet away armed with automatic rifles and another ten stood fanned out behind them. Most of these soldiers were no older than seventeen, you could see the pure fear in their eyes.

I lifted the glasses from my eyes and placed them upon my head before placing my finger next to the trigger of my rifle. Taking a deep breath I stood and took aim at the four closest targets before scrambling to my feet and dodging bullets as I ran. I unsteadily fired my weapon while my boots thudded on the dry earthy dirt and managed to hit two men. How I had not been hit was a mystery to even me.

I ran behind a retaining war and dropped to the ground. I had nowhere to go I was surrounded, my assault rifle started to look real friendly when I thought of what they would do to a soldier who was caught stealing sensitive information. The gauge on my rifle read 20 and I reached for my last magazine strapped to my leg, after my rifle ran out I would only have my desert eagle and glock that were strapped to both sides my hips. Both only semi-automatic and holding only nine rounds each, I didn't carry spare ammo for them. The mags for my rifle usually did the job. I had sixty eight more shots and I needed to make them count.

"Syn, come in! Syn! What is your location?" Athena's voice awoke me from my dreading thoughts and that's when I knew I had to live through this so I could kill her myself.

"RRTS 6 we need reinforcements" Ghost's voice echoed in my head. It was too late to wait for reinforcements, the enemy was here and they were pissed. Keep moving soldier! I mentally cursed myself and pushed my racing thoughts to the back of my mind.

I army crawled to the edge of the wooden retaining wall and peaked around the corner. About a hundred yards away was the armoured Humvee I had arrived in. If I could just get to it I might have a chance. Fuck it. I ran as fast as I could with my rifle in hand and took down the two men that shot at me. Shit. That would surely draw attention. I crept quietly past the busted ass cottages and leapt over a wire fence. Rolling to the ground I hastily leapt to my feet and kept running. A lone shot ran out then came an agonising pain in my left thigh.

"I've been hit" I didn't even recognise my own devastated voice that rang through the comms.

"Syn!" Brian screeched through my ear piece. I kept running through the pain and dove behind a large brick well. "Arghh" I hissed and tore the bandana off my face to wrap around my leg. "I was so close" My frail voice echoed in my ear as I stared toward the Humvee that was now surrounded with Taliban.

"Valkery, stay were you are…Brian is coming for you" Ghost's husky voice said regretfully. "Damn it Ric! Haul his ass back to base do you hear me!?" I half yell half whispered into my mic.

"It's too late" Brian replied with sass, I could tell he was running by the strain in his voice.

"Fucking hell Brian, for once just do what you're ordered to!" I yelled and looked up to see a member of the Taliban standing over my body with his weapon raised.

"Take one more step and I'll blow us both to hell" I said with venom, revealed a grenade and pulled the pin.

The man backed away in fear and slightly lowered his rifle.

Fuck it.

With my good leg I kicked the rifle out of the man's hand and raised my own before he could reach down to pick it up. I released the trigger and threw the grenade into the window of the Humvee that the Taliban had surrounded. Shit, shit, shit I scrambled to my feet and sprinted back toward the way I had come.

*Boom*

The force of the blast sent me flying into the wall of a cottage and heavily smashed my head into the brick. I landed violently on my own weapon and rolled onto my back with a long groan of pain.

"Arghh" I hissed as I cradled my pounding head and winced at the sharp whistling in my ears.

I couldn't see shit, I couldn't focus until someone tried to restrain me by covering my mouth. Then my senses came back better than ever, I was ready to kick this guy's ass.

"Syn, it's me" Brian whispered and looked over my bloodied appearance.

"You look like shit" He teased and knelt down next to me and wiped my short choppy hair out of my eyes.

I looked into his light blue eyes with fury, he knew there was a massive chance of us not getting out of this godforsaken country alive but he still came back.

"You're a fucking idiot" I spat and held onto his shoulder to try and stand. Blood poured from the split next to my eyebrow and blurred my vision.

"I thought you knew" He smirked, managing to hide the panic and fear .I half-heartedly smiled and ruffled his shiny black hair.

"Shit" Brian looked at me with concern and brushed my fringe out of my eyes to see the wound. The crimson blood had dyed the once purple ends of my hair a murky red colour that stuck like glue to my sweating face. He wiped the blood away from my eye with his thumb and took off his bandana to use as a temporary bandage. My leg burnt like hell but it was the least of my problems at the moment.

"Let's get out of here" He nudged my shoulder and wrapped a hand around my waist for support. "How?" I asked in disorientation and wiped the blood from my vision with his bandana.

"Ghost it waiting for us at the top of that hill" He pointed to the right, I could just see the top of a blade from our chopper.

"We'll need to leg it" Brian said softly and looked around the corner of the wall. He turned to me with an unreadable expression which I had learnt meant trouble.

"What?" I asked with dread. "Reinforcements" He whispered and looked back.

"Go, go, go!"

"We're almost there" Brian consoled and continued to carry most my weight.

We ran as fast as we could, he never let go of me shoulder even though he could've run ahead. My leg stung with pain as I half ran half limped. I panicked when I heard shouts behind us, they had seen us…

Brian stopped and knelt with as we fired at a group of men. I took the left and he covered the right, I knelt down in next to him and pulled the trigger of my rifle. I stood to get a better aim but Brian pulled me back down.

"Arghh" I hissed as a bullet pierced just above my hip. Warmth spread through my abdomen followed by a throbbing pain. I didn't even hear the shot and it didn't register at first but the agonising pain soon bought me back to reality. I felt it pierce straight through the back and come out the opposite side in less than a second. It was like being skewered then someone adding salt and acid to the wound. I winced and fell back onto the grass the wet grass, bringing Brian down with me. "Leave me Brian" I said firmly. "No" He replied simply and hoisted me into his arms.

The black helicopter was so close I could almost touch it. Ghost opened the door and ran out of the chopper, Brian set me down on the hard steel floor and yelled commands at Ghost to get the helicopter in the air. "You're going to be okay" He smirked and kissed the top of my head. I could hear bullets ricocheting off the side of the helicopter but it seemed to die down when the rotors creaked to life…

"I need to talk to you about something when you are better…remind me" He added hopefully, I could feel blood building in my throat but I refused to choke on it. Suddenly Brian went quiet and his face paled, I looked at him through blurred vision with question.

Brian!" I yelled and that's when I saw it. A bullet hole through his chest from an armour piercing bullet. The bullets I had made for this mission...the bullets Athena had. "Brian!" I grabbed him before he could fall and stared at his unfocused eyes. It must've gone through me and into Brian.

"Valkery…I…I" He tried to speak as blood formed in the sides of his mouth and began to choke him. "No don't speak" I said through sobs and pulled his body onto my lap.

"I…I love you, don't cry for me. I'm free" He said weakly and wiped the tears that fell from my eyes. He was my best friend and brother…but I couldn't let him die without granting him one final wish. So without hesitation I leant down and gave him a pained kiss. "I'll see you again" I whispered and leant my forehead against his.

"Shit…Brian!" I yelled as his eyes rolled into the back of his head.

"Ghost get this bird up in the air!" I commanded and he nodded with fear written on his face. "Damn, it Brian!" I shook his limp body and wiped the tears from my eyes. There will be a time to cry but it isn't now. I had a mission of my own…Athena wouldn't get away with this, I would kill her myself.

"Ghost, my sniper" I spat through clenched teeth and held out my hand. The cool metal brushed my hand and I swiftly set up the rifle, taking aim. I had a bullet just for her…"Keep it steady, Ghost" I hissed as her blonde hair came into the sight of my scope. She was looking at our chopper through the scope of a sniper, ready for another shot.

"Two in her knee caps, one through the head" I repeated over and over again like a broken record until I had a clean shot. The first two bullets violently left my rifle and shattered her knees, She collapsed to the ground and dropped the weapon, the look of pain on her face was something I'd never forget. The third bullet hit her clean in the skull and her body jerked back onto the dirt.

I threw my rifle to the side and flopped backward onto the steel floor. "Argh" I heard Ghost yell and I looked over to see he'd been shot in the right shoulder. I just couldn't die in peace, there was always something.

"Hold onto something Syn!" Ghost yelled as the helicopter swayed uncontrollably from side to side. "Shit" If we crashed the Taliban would be all over us in a matter of minutes. My eyes scanned over the weapons wall of the helicopter until I spotted an RPG, I swallowed the agony that came from my bullet wounds and crawled over to the weapon.

What can I aim it at? I thought to myself in panic. The helicopter was heading toward the ground quickly, it was too unsteady to aim. I'd have to jump and hope to live.

"Ghost?!" I yelled over the pounding in my head that told me to give up. He was trying to control the chopper but the rotors where shot to shit so we were dropping fast.

"We need to jump!" I yelled over the sound of the rotors.

"What!?" He asked in confusion and glanced over his shoulder.

"You heard me soldier, now!" I ordered and he quickly retreated from his battle with the controls of the chopper. I shouldered the RPG and shakily stood on the edge of the cab. "Three!" Ghost stood beside me and placed his arm around my shoulder so I wouldn't fall down from the amount of blood I'd lost. "Two!" I gave him a reassuring wink as the ground quickly approached. "One!" I gripped onto his hand as we kicked off the edge of the chopper and plummeted down about five metres. I felt my knee crack with the impact as we met the ground below. I rolled in pure agony and let out a scream as I tried to stand on my shattered knee.

"Ghost!" I yelled over the pain and crawled to him. He was on his side and I rolled him over, he was still but breathing shallowly. "Ghost!" A stray tear fell from my eye as the sound of an approaching chopper neared and I gripped on to the RPG.I laid low on the spiky grass and aimed at the black chopper as it landed a few metres away. I let out a sigh of relief when I saw the RRTS 6 insignia. "RRTS 1 come in" A familiar voice echoed through my ear piece.

"RRTS 1 Sinister, I've been hit" My hoarse voice called into the mic and I dropped the RPG with relief. The soldiers filed out of the chopper and headed toward the RRTS 1 helicopter that was now in flames.

"Ghost" I whispered as he started to stir. "You're going to be okay" I said with tear filled eyes.

"We're everywhere soldier" I heard a voice echoed through my ear piece.

"Fuck it" hissed and attempted to stand but fell back to the ground in a hiss of pain. I clutched my abdomen and felt blood gushing from my wound.

"Valkery?" A soldier knelt next to me, I glanced back to him and heard a rustling in the bushes close to me.

"John" I said calmly as my eyes fell upon a red dot settled on his forehead. I staggered into a crouching position.

"Get down!" I pushed him to the ground just as a lone shot rang out. The bullet hit my Kevlar straight in the middle of my chest and the force of the bullet pushed me onto my back.

"Syn!" I looked toward the sky with blurred vision as my blood stained the once green grass.

"Sarge she's over here" John called over the comms before the world went black.

* * *

><p>Present day: Tokyo, Japan. November the tenth, Tuesday 23:00 2046<p>

Breathe, I thought as I wiped away the metallic blood that dripped down my split lip.

Focus, just like he taught you.

My head snapped to my opponent who circled me like a vulture going in for the kill. I quickly picked my broken body off the hard mat and barely dodged a knockout blow. I was being decimated by the tall and muscled up man who glanced at me with hatred in his brown eyes. In a swift movement I regained my fighting stance and circled around the hexagonal cage. The crowd was going wild, nothing like an inter gender cage fight. Christian Copeland was the man Athena sold Intel about my team to, he then carried that information to the Taliban. He was once a member of the RRTS unit 12 until they'd found out he was a traitor. It took me two years to track him down, by hacking into security camera's I located him in Tokyo through facial recognition. He was a part time cage fighter when he wasn't betraying his country.

_Keep your hands up and eyes forward…Don't let them see fear or they will rip you apart._

In front of me was one of the biggest and most skilled cage fighters I had ever faced, he had dragon tattoos and Chinese inscription down his thick back and arms. He had to be at least 6, 6 and with me standing at just 5, 9 he was a fair bit taller but nonetheless I was up for the challenge. In a swift movement I attempted a roundhouse kick which he narrowly avoided and grabbed my leg. A sinister grin grew on his face but I remained unfazed. Hopping on my grounded leg for momentum I swung it around and connected it with his jaw. The wind was viciously knocked from my lungs as I landed roughly on the blood stained mat. Out of pure instinct I rolled over to his body and delivered punches left and right.

"Enough. Enough, He's out" The referee pulled me off the hulking man's unconscious form and lifted my arm in triumph.

"And your undefeated champion is Primavera 'Nightmare' Syren" I looked around the cage half expecting Brian to run in and attack me with hugs and excited squeals but reality hit. He hated me cage fighting but supported me nonetheless.

According to the military I died three years ago on Friday the thirteenth at 23:55, but I had my own agenda. I was known as "The Crow or Blackbird" to the military as a codename, I assumed it was a reference to the movie where a musician is brought back from the dead to avenge the rape and murder of his fiancée. I wish I could've seen through the eyes of a crow, it would've made ground work much easier. At least someone in the marines had a sense of humour.

I took out all ties Athena had to the Taliban and did a few hits for the military along the way. I prayed that Ghost is still alive, the last time I saw him he had a gunshot wound to the shoulder and was quickly bleeding out but then again so was I. I was allowed to say goodbye to Eric while I was in hospital, he was the only one who knew I was still alive aside from a few military personnel. I heard one of the RRTS 6 soldiers saved my life which was ironic because we were rivals at the time. I remember one of them talking to me while I was in a coma. He sounded so desperate and it killed me that he thought I was dead. I tried to find out who it was but the military keeps a tight seal on matters involving mission Blackbird. If I found him I would thank him for saving my life.

Nothing numbed the pain of suffering like beating someone to the brink of death or vice versa. The greatest thing about being dead was that I could be whoever I wanted to be but the worst was that I couldn't be Valkery Syn at least not until I finish what I had set out to do. It was a rough transition from sniper to grunt work but I was driven by determination and most of all anger. Shooting someone was a lot more satisfying from three feet away than a few hundred metres.

I wiped the blood from my lip on my black shorts and fixed my sports tank top before exiting the ring without even so much as a bow. I was well known around here for my acceptance of even the most dangerous stipulations. The crowd patted my arms while I made my way toward the locker rooms and closed the door behind me. Just as I entered my phone began to ring, unknown number…

"Hello?" I answered flatly and picked up a wet wipe to get the blood from my knuckles and face. "Vera Syren?" A familiar voice replied.

"Yes?" I replied in my fake Russian accent.

"Valkery its Sargent Mahonin". I froze completely. How did he find me? How did he find out I was alive.

"What the hell are you doing Ash? You know I'm classified as dead, you can't contact me" I lost the accent and threw the rag to the side. I knew he hated when I called him Ash.

"The military has been keeping tabs on you, I wouldn't have called if it wasn't important…Let I be blunt, I have a mission that requires someone with an extensive knowledge of genetics and a skillset in retrieving data. I need someone who can handle themselves…and unfortunately you are the only person that fits the profile."

"I haven't been a marine for three years" I stated firmly, It was half true at least. I'd gone solo for the past two and a half years.

"You don't forget how to be a marine" Asher sounded stressed to his limits, so I didn't push it. My best bet is that he called dozens of people before me only to be rejected.

"What is the catch?" I asked firmly and searched my bag for my glock 17.

"The mission is on Olduvai, You need to be on the next flight to the base and you'll be working with the RRTS 6" He added. I admired how Asher just jumped straight to the point.

"You must be truly desperate to ask me for help" I grinned knowing that he was squirming just having to think about working with me.

"Yes or No soldier" He hissed. "I must warn you, you may not return" He added.

"Count me in" I smirked and pressed the end call button on my phone. I know it was their job but I felt like I owed unit six for bringing Brian and Ghost home…

I changed into my black skinny cargo pants and black biker jacket which was complimented with my combat boots and plain black tank. My blonde wig was a mess so I brushed it into a simple high ponytail and left the room with my gun in hand. I cocked my gun and placed it in the waist of my pants, pulling the hem down of my tank to cover the butt. My brown eye contacts blurred my vision as they slid around my pupil but thankfully resumed their position. I scanned the area for any witnesses and clenched my jaw as I reached for the handle of the men's locker room.

Christian was in his locker room like I predicted, wiping the blood off his face over a metal sink. Closing the door behind me I crept into the room and revealed my weapon.

"What do you want?!" He hissed as I entered his line of sight. I smirked while screwing the silencer onto my glock 17.

"Your life" I said firmly and fired one bullet into his skull. His head tilted back with the force of the bullet and his blood painted the lockers crimson red as he fell onto the concrete ground.

"It's done" I said firmly into the mic of my ear piece and removed the silencer from my glock.

"Well done, Blackbird you're free."


	2. Same place, different people

_**Same Place, different people.**_

RRTS Headquarters: location, classified. November the eleventh, Wednesday 16:00

Fourteen hours ago I was in Tokyo, now I stood in front of the building that was home for many years, I hadn't been back in three years. It held too many memories for me that I'd rather forget. Brian and I basically terrorised this place together. I took a deep breath as I walked through the automatic doors and made my way to Asher's office. It was strange how well I still remembered this place. My hand hovered over the door handle to his office before I finally opened it and confidently strolled through the door.

Asher Mahonin stood in front of his desk with his arms crossed and a stern expression on his face, He had gotten musclier since the last time I'd seen him.

"Ash" I greeted him firmly and removed my blonde wig before throwing it in the bin. I was excited to be on a mission where I didn't have to use a whole other identity, I could be Valkery Syn or Sinister as I was known.

"First things first it is Sarge to you. The second thing is where is your uniform?" He cocked his eyebrow at my appearance. Apparently my attire wasn't acceptable by the look on his face.

"Well, Sarge… I didn't have damn time to put on my uniform" I snapped and stood my ground as he towered over me. I got off a flight less than twenty minutes ago and this asshole thought I had time to change into my uniform?

"You better make time, you are a mar…" He hissed but stopped halfway through his sentence when he noticed his mistake.

"Please, do go on..." I crossed my arms and looked up at his intimidating form.

"It's nice to see you haven't changed" He said firmly and backed away. His tough guy façade never worked on me, we'd known each other for at least eight years and I'd thankfully only worked with him once before.

"Likewise" I responded flatly. A ghost of a smile played on the corners of his mouth.

"It's good to have you back, Sin" He smirked and held out his hand.

"Well I couldn't just give up an opportunity to terrorise you one more time, now could I?" I smirked back while firmly shaking his hand and he let out an amused chuckle. We had a strange friendship if you could call it that, we hated each other but on rare occasions we'd talk to each other just to see who'd crack first. It was usually me...

"I must warn you, the men haven't seen a woman in months, they don't need a distraction which is why I chose you" Ash added and stepped out of the door. "That sounds more like an insult than a compliment" I replied and followed after him.

"I chose you because you can fight and hold your own, trust me it's a compliment" He spoke firmly but I knew it was killing him to have me on his team.

My eyes narrowed at the words 'Semper Fi' Tattooed in thick letters on his muscled back, which was new…

"Semper Fi?" I asked in surprise, he turned his head my way about a centimetre but said nothing. I followed him to the barracks and he opened a metal door before stepping in front of me and obstructing my path.

"Problem, Sarge?" I mused and stared back at his cold brown eyes. "I'm sorry…about Brian, he was a damn good soldier" He said firmly, I knew Brian had been a part of the RRTS 6 and they resented me for asking him to join unit one.

"He was" I replied with curiosity and cocked my eyebrow. Where is he going with this conversation? "What I am trying to say is, I expect the same out of you. I read your file, now prove to me you are the soldier Goat talks you up to be." He smirked at the last part and opened the door.

"Goat?" I asked in confusion as I walked behind him down a metal flight of stairs. I prayed that was a nickname and not an actual Goat.

"You'll see" His voice echoed into the room. I could her the men chatter about their plans in the barracks and I almost felt bad that they weren't getting their leave.

I stood beside Sarge with my hands by my side as we entered the room. It was just as I remembered it, pin up girls and tiny bunks. These men were built like soldiers they breathed the RRTS, They tougher than other military task forces, more elite and hungry for war. I always loved the challenge of rising above military standards, it was rewarding and frustrating at the same time. Those who couldn't take it were easily sifted out and only the strongest remained. This place could reduce the toughest of men to tears.

A creepy blonde man with yellow teeth was the first to notice my presence. He had on a hideous Hawaiian shirt with white loafers.

"What did you get us, Sarge?" He asked with a sinister glare on his face. It suddenly felt like I was not wearing enough clothing as he undressed me with his eyes.

"A hooker?" He asked with hope. Do I look like a hooker you ignorant prick?

"No I'm much better than that" I said seductively and strode over to where he sat.

His look of pure lust made me sick to the bone but I kept up my act.

"Oh darling I'm sure you are" He was almost drooling as I stopped in front of him.

"What can I call you?" He asked and wrapped an arm around my waist.

"You can call me Sinister and you can remove your arm from my waist before I break it" I watched as his face turned into pure horror and he released his grip. I had quite a rep around here.

All eyes were on me, I looked around and noticed a few familiar faces.

"Valkery?" Ghost stood from his bunk and walked over to me.

"Eric…" I was in complete shock as he wrapped me in a hug and lifted me off the ground.

"This your girl, Goat?" the creep asked but was completely ignored by everyone.

"I thought you were supposed to be dead" He whispered, trying to comprehend what had just happened. "Duty calls" I said firmly and he released me from his death grip. "Why did you leave in the first place" He asked softly and I glanced at the bible he was holding. "The military needed some things taken care of…off the record" I responded simply but he understood. "The Crow?" He asked in disbelief that he hadn't figured it out before. "Uh huh" I smiled and glanced at the cross he had on a necklace.

"What is this?" I smirked and pointed to the bible. "A reminder" He responded and stared at my face. "I see you have taken up cage fighting again" He motioned to the split in my lip.

"I'd like to do some cage fighting with her" The creep piped up with a sick grin.

"Portman!" Someone yelled before I could reply with an insult.

"John" I gave the dark haired man a nod and met his hazel eyes. He was good friends with Brian, we hated each other but I did take a bullet for the man. There was just something in the way he stared at me with betrayal that made me uneasy.

"Sin" He replied sharply and returned to what he was doing before I had walked in.

The two African American men I knew as Duke and destroyer, The Asian American I knew as Mac we'd been trained together but I never gave them the time of day. I didn't say much but I listened, mostly because half of what I had to say wouldn't be repeatable in public. I could tell you more about yourself just from being in the room for a couple hours than your own mother could in a lifetime. 'Eyes of a hawk and ears like a fox' was how Brian put it. I'd learned the creep's name was Portman. There was a baby faced kid in the corner, poor bastard would've been no older than twenty one.

"Leave has been cancelled" Sarge announced, you could almost feel the disappointment as Ghost returned to his bunk to retrieve his dog tags and Duke muttered curses under his breath.

"You got a problem with that Duke?" Sarge asked in annoyance.

"Me, Sarge? Hell no I love my job" He replied sarcastically.

"What's up Sarge?" Mac asked, he seemed to be the only one that wasn't complaining.

"We've got us a game" Sarge smirked. I could help but feel the scrutinising stare that John had been giving me as soon as Sarge informed them of Leave being cancelled. I ignored it and watched as Ash turned to the baby-faced kid.

"Kid. Son you are now in the Rapid Response Tactical Squad. The double R-T-S. And what do we do in the RRTS ?"

"Pray for war!" The men shouted enthusiastically, I mentally smirked at how the old motto lifted everyone's spirit.

"Men, some of you may know Commander Valkery Syn or Sinister. She's an acclaimed sniper, specialist in hand to hand combat, weaponry and high threat operations. She will be joining us" Sarge announced. I noticed as John's face fell and Ghost's lit up. I didn't know my file listed qualifications but I could've sworn I had less than that…

"When did you become an acclaimed sniper?" Eric joked and nudged my shoulder

"I had the weekend off" I replied with a smirk. This year would be eight years with the military, time flies when you're getting shot at for a living but I was damn good at it. I was well known…or well I used to be for taking risks for the sake of my missions, some called it fearlessness others called it recklessness. I didn't mind either way, I worked hard to get where I was to the dismay of others.

"Sir, shouldn't she be medically cleared before she joins us?" John stood from his spot and stared in annoyance at his Sargent.

"Why would we do that?" Sarge challenged.

"Because the last time we saw her she had two bullet holes in her" John replied.

"Then clear her" Sarge said simply.

"I'll clear her…first things first the clothes have to go" Portman butted in.

"Shut the fuck up, Portman!" John and I snapped at the same time then glared back at each other.

"Oh, I like her already" Duke commented.

"Fall in" Sarge ordered and the men retreated up the stairs.

I was about to follow until Sarge grabbed my arm. "You need to be cleared" He said firmly.

"You called me, just remember that" I replied in annoyance.

"You have ten minutes, Reaper" Ash commanded firmly before walking back up the stairs. The tension in the room was indescribable, I knew John was holding back on saying something. He was fumbling around in his locker before he pulled out a green medical bag and turned back to face me.

"Can we skip the dirty looks and go to where you just tell me why you're looking at me like I killed your dog?" I sighed and removed my jacket. I had my fair share of medical clearances over the years.

"Breathe in" He ignored my question and pushed a stethoscope against my chest. His eyes trailed over my various tattoos on my arms but he seemed mostly interested in the side ward skull with elongated teeth and armour on top of my left arm. Underneath there was cursive writing that read;

'Nothing lasts forever  
>For all good things it's true'<p>

I had it done not to long after Brian's death as a memorial since I never went to his funeral. Funerals were never my scene, last time I went to a funeral I was handed a folded up flag with my mother's name on it.

"How'd you get the cut on your lip?" John asked while shining a pen light in my eyes. I jumped a little as his voice broke me out of my daydream and I was blinded by the bright light.

"Cage fighting" I replied and he looked back at me with a 'are you serious', look.

"Cage fighting?" He asked simply and felt the pulse on my wrist.

"What?" I asked irritably and stared coldly into his eyes.

"Any dizziness or feelings of being lightheaded?" He continued to ignore my questions and it was starting to piss me off. I was a commander, when I asked questions you damn well better respond.

"No" I stated firmly.

"Any chance you could be pregnant? " I immediately scoffed at his question.

"Really?...I got shot in the stomach, what do you think?" I said simply and contemplated just leaving the barracks, but the sooner this was over the sooner I wouldn't have to look at his accusing eyes.

"I think you're lucky to be alive"

"Show me the stomach wound" This guy was all business, didn't ask he just commanded. Much like myself.I hesitantly lifted the bottom of my tank so the hem sat at the bottom of my rib cage. I had a massive bruise from a broken rib I sustained in a fight that I didn't want him to see. He would surely report it to Sarge though I don't think Ash would do anything because he sounded desperate for another team member.

The bullet wound was ugly, it was a circular shape with spatters around the edges from the pieces of shrapnel that broke off the bullet. The entry wound was the ugliest though, it too was circular but had burn marks around it where my skin had melted.

"Does it hurt when I press on it?" John pressed around the wound, I tried not to wince as he came close to my broken rib.

"No" I responded through clenched teeth.

"Hmm" He studied the exit wound. "Does Sarge know you have a broken rib?" He asked cockily.

"To be honest I don't think he cares, he needed another soldier and he got one" I replied firmly.

"We'll see" Never have I wanted to hit a person so badly than at this moment.

"You know, you have a smile that lights up the room. Has anyone ever told you that?" I said bluntly and he raised an eyebrow. "Yeah...I didn't think so" I added sarcastically and fixed my tank.

"You can go" John said calmly and packed away his bag. "I could, but first you are going to tell me what your problem is with me" I stood sternly with my arms crossed. He said nothing.

"Let me guess, you blame me for Brian's death?" I said flatly. I really didn't care what he thought of me but the last time I joined a team with someone who had a problem with me I got shot…twice. John stopped what he was doing for a momentarily and clenched his jaw in anger before resuming.

"Get dressed Sin, we leave in thirty minutes" He said flatly and glanced in my direction. I shook my head in defeat and ran a hand through my hair, glaring into his eyes for a better response but he didn't reply. I scoffed before heading back toward the metal stairs.

"Sin…." He piped up, I stopped halfway up the stairs and turned in his direction with a look of annoyance. "I'm glad you're alive" He said softly, he sounded almost sincere and it shocked me. What the hell do I say to that? I stared at him with confusion before shaking my head striding toward my old room to collect my uniform. I didn't realise the truth of his statement at the time.

* * *

><p><em>Reaper's P.O.V September, Friday the thirteenth, 2043<em>

_Kholm, Afghanistan. 10:00_

_"Sarge she's over here!" Reaper yelled through his mic as he rolled over to Valkery's motionless body. She was bleeding out…_

_"Sin!" He dropped next to her and looked into her eyes for any signs of life. She was still breathing. He pulled off her Kevlar vest and put pressure on the bullet wound on her stomach. She was lucky the bullet had gone straight through instead of lodging itself in one of her vital organs. 'Shit, her wound is a mess.' He thought to himself while trying to wipe away the blood but it just came back in a matter of seconds. Luckily her Kevlar had taken the bullet that was meant for him. Sarge took aim at the member of the Taliban in the bushes and let off a single shot._

_"Stay with me Valkery" Reaper said firmly and looked down to see her coming in and out of consciousness. "Brian…" She whispered desperately and attempted to move for her weapon._

_"Valkery" He held her down to ease some of the pain from moving and pried the assault rifle from her hands. Reaper knew Brian hadn't survived by the whispers going around the comms but he would mourn later, right now she was his responsibility. Reaper looked to Sarge who was attending to Ghost, the spikey haired man was in shock from the massive wound in his shoulder. _

_"She's bleeding out Sarge" Reaper called to Ash who glared to him with determination. "Not on your watch, get her to the chopper. We'll be fine here" He ordered._

_Reaper quickly swung his assault rifle around his back and hoisted her into his arms. He ran as fast as he could with the added weight back to the black chopper that sat stationary on the ground. _

_"Take us up!" He ordered to the pilot as soon as he approached the chopper and laid her down on the steel floor before hopping in himself._

_"C'mon stay with me" He pleaded and undid his belt to tie around her leg wound. Her face was paling by the minute and breaths became shallow, "shit" he thought to himself and reached for his medical bag. He'd have to stitch the wound himself. He fished around for a thread and needle until he found the necessary materials. He tied a knot in the thread and began to sew her skin together. _

_"Don't you die on me" He said firmly and glanced up to see if she was breathing every couple of seconds. The first side of her stomach wound was stitched and holding together better than he'd expected. John rolled her over and started on the entry wound, it was much worse than the exited. It the edges looked like she'd been burnt with a hot poker. He wasn't sure how much blood she'd lost but he was willing to bet it was enough. "Hudson, how far away we?" Reaper called from the cab. "About five minutes" The pilot responded. _

_"C'mon stay with me for five minutes" He finished the stitch and rolled her on her back once more. His hands and uniform were covered in her blood. _

_"Shit" She wasn't breathing. Reaper started compressions and breathed air into her lungs until he felt a weak pulse. He was exhausted by the time they'd reached the base. _

_There was already a team of doctors waiting for them next to the helipad when they arrived. Reaper carried her out of the chopper, placed her onto a stretcher and followed after the doctors. _

_"She has a through and through wound on her stomach that I have managed to stitch, there is still a bullet in her leg but the bleeding has slowed" He explained to a young doctor. _

_"What is her name and age?" The doctor responded hurriedly as they almost ran to the operating theatre. _

_"Valkery Syn, 26" He responded and the doctor placed her arm out to stop him following. _

_"This is as far as you can go, don't worry she's in safe hands" The young female doctor gave him a small smile before trotting after the team. He wished he could believe that, Brian loved that girl more than himself, Reaper would never forgive himself if she died. After all the shit he gave her she still risked her life to save him._

_"Reaper, what's the update?" Sarge's voice echoed in his ear. "She's stable for now" He sighed. "You did good kid" Sarge praised._


	3. Reminiscence

**Reminiscence**

It was a strange feeling being back in my old uniform, the military had it flown over to base on an express flight. I still couldn't believe they kept my uniform after all this time, they even patched up the bullet holes. I placed my vest over my long sleeved thermal shirt, my black vest had the insignia of a crow perched on top of a skull it was inspired by one of the band logo's Brian had liked. Anything creepy Brian liked. He would've loved Portman…maybe not. I laughed at my own joke and fastened the belt on my cargo pants. My black hair was in its usual high pony tail with my choppy side fringe hanging freely around my eyes. I took a look in the mirror then stepped out of my old room. My heavy boots padded against the ground as I caught up to Sarge and the rest of the team heading toward the upper tarmac.

"Great vacation, damn they go quick" Duke retorted.

"Almost like we'd never been away" Destroyer added sarcastically.

I walk next to Ghost or 'Goat' as he was now called. He gave me a warm smile before focusing back toward the front. Sarge was in the lead with Duke and Destroyer not too far behind. Portman and the kid took the rear, I felt sorry for the kid not only for having to be near Portman but it was his first mission and he looked wide eyed at everything I had gotten used to over the years. I looked around and found no sight of John, This mission may just be bearable I thought to myself and entered the black chopper that was parked on the helipad but had come to life as the pilot pushed a few buttons.

I found my seat next to 'Goat' and Sarge handed me a black case.

"Special delivery" He said as he placed it in my hands. I flicked the latch and opened the lid of the case, Sitting on a bed of red silky fabric was my Desert Eagle and Glock 34 with light attachment. I smiled at my old weapons and attached them to either side of my hips. I was the last to retrieve the wall mounted assault rifles and various other weapons to the back of the helicopter.

There was a female robotic voice reading out handle I.D's. I only caught "RRTS Special Ops Unit Verified. Handle I.D Sarge"

My eye caught a black Arx-160 assault rifle with a light attachment that looked a lot like mine…wait a minute it was mine, My hand hovered over the weapon and I picked it up off the hook that held it."RRTS Special Ops Unit Verified. Handle I.D Sinister"I heaved my weapon over my shoulder and grinned at the familiar weight that strained on my arm. I rubbed off the dirt that had gathered on the scope and made my way back next to Goat.

"I have a concealed weapon you can rub" Portman sent me a wink and showed off his yellow teeth with a dirty smile.

"Sorry darlin, there is a minimum of four inches" I smirked and high fived Duke as I took a seat.

"So when are we getting married?" Duke joked and I sent him a smirk.

"That depends on the size of the diamond" I replied with a grin.

"Oh! She drives a hard bargain!" Duke smirked sarcastically.

"All set?" Sarge asked as he moved over to the door.

"Yes, sir" We all replied. Sarge was about to close the door when a hand appeared and Reaper climbed in the chopper. He walked to the weaponry wall and picked up his assault rifle. _RRTS Special Ops Unit Verified, Handle I.D Reaper_. John took the last available seat…next to me. Ash closed the chopper door and sat across from Reaper.

"Take us up" Sarge commanded. The pilot's voice echoed through our comms

"RRTS 6 en route".

The chopper swayed as it lifted off the Tarmac, bringing back memories of Afghanistan. I hadn't been on a helicopter since that day. Goat seemed to notice my uneasiness and sent me a reassuring smile. I gripped onto my seat and let go as the chopper steadied. Reaper looked no better than I did, I guess he wasn't keen on flying either.

"You know it's funny, couple of days ago I asked Sarge for a little pussy and the next day he brought you onto the team" Portman snickered to the Kid who frowned but said nothing back. One thing I learnt from the get go was to not take shit from anyone. The kid would have to learn that all on his own.

"Don't give me an excuse Portman. No one here will miss you" Reaper called from next to me. Portman smirked and slouched back in his seat.

"So, baby girl you got any other guys on the side I should know about?" Duke said from across from me with a sly smile.

"Just Portman" I replied in the most serious voice I could muster but failed miserably, Earning a few laughs from the team.

"You couldn't handle this baby" Portman retorted and grabbed his crotch.

"Small things are harder to handle" I snarled and sat back in my seat.

"Oh, Sin 1, Portman 0" Destroyer pipped up.

Sarge got up and headed to the front of the chopper, all eyes were on him except for Reaper's he looked like he was in a trance. "Look in men. This is what we got from sitcom. We have a quarantine situation on Olduvai. They sent this message...when the research team stopped responding to all communications". Sarge pressed play and watched.

"This is Dr. Carmack, Classified Research, Olduvai, ID 6627." The pale doctor looked horrified as he looked over his shoulder. A loud pounding could be heard through the door behind him. "We've had a Level 5 breach. Implement quarantine procedures immediately. I repeat. This is Dr. Carmack, Classified Research, Olduvai, ID 've had a Level 5 breach. Implement quarantine procedures now". Dr Carmack looked over his shoulder to the source of the noise one last time before the screen went black.

"UAC have shut down the facility, men. We need to go up there and locate the team, eliminate the threat and secure the facility" Sarge looked over us, making sure we understood. "What threat?" The kid asked and Duke intervened. "It goes like this, see: If it's trying to kill you, it's a threat." I smirked at his blunt explanation and sat back in my seat. I remember hearing of a rock fall in Olduvai, Brian told me it had killed John's parents. No wonder he looked like he'd just seen a ghost, His eyes never leaving the floor.

I turned to Goat, a question I had wanted to ask him for a long time itched at the back of my mind. "Yes, Sinister?" It was creepy how he did that, you wouldn't even have to look at him but he would know. "How's your shoulder?" I asked knowing it was a lame cover to what I really wanted to ask but everyone was listening in. "Fine" He replied with a cocked eyebrow.

"I hear you took two bullets yourself" Destroyer said, trying to spark a conversation in the quiet cab.

"One in the leg and one in the stomach" I said.

"Were you not wearing a vest?" Kid asked innocently.

"Kevlar didn't stop the bullet I was shot with, it just slowed it, Kid" I explained.

"The first bullet in the leg was just a standard issue round made for an Ak-47 it was the second bullet that was a bitch. It was a through and through but these bullets are specially made to break off in smaller parts when they hit their target." I reminisced.

"They'll fuck you up good" I added and turned to Goat with a sad smile.

"Who made them?...the bullets" Kid asked, I liked his need to know things. He was a thinker.

"I did, for my team" I replied simply.

"How?" He pried.

"I'm a genius" I said proudly, earning a stifled laugh from Goat.

I had picked up a few things from different people and managed to construct the perfect bullet, it was the equivalent to loading a shot gun with nails and putting a bullet in-between. They were designed for snipers to pack more of a punch, I never thought they would be used against me

"And what would you be laughing at?" I asked in amusement and smacked his arm.

"So someone from your team shot you?" Kid asked with a frightened tone as if we would do the same to him.

"Yes" I replied. I didn't mind talking about it, I'd come to terms with the events from that day.

"What did you do to them?" The kid sat forward in his seat, I like how he assumed I didn't just lay there to die.

"One in each knee cap and one in the head with a sniper" I replied, and sat forward in my seat with my elbows propped on my legs.

"Remind me to never piss you off" Destroyer commented and I smirked sadly.

"That's overreacting" Portman scoffed, obviously still pissed about being owned.

"Dead men don't talk" I said flatly not caring for his comment.

"Can I see the scar?" Kid asked shakily and received glares from his team mates.

"Sure" I smirked at his curiosity and unzipped my vest slowly, just to torture Portman. Placing my vest and assault rifle on my seat I made my way over to the Kid who sat at the other end of the chopper. I'd might as well show somebody.

I lifted my thermal shirt just below my bellybutton stud and showed the kid the scar that sat just a few inches above my hip, I turned around to show him the entry wound that was a round hole with spatters from shrapnel around the corners. I could feel Reaper staring at me ever since I had started talking to the kid and I met his gaze. He had a look of sadness hidden under his neutral expression that showed in his eyes.

"Damn baby girl, you got ink too?!" Duke asked excitedly at the part of my back tattoo that showed. I broke the eye contact with Reaper and smirked to Duke.

"Maybe" I replied mysteriously.

"That's it we're getting married and you're all invited" Duke joked.

"Oh really?" I asked in amusement. "Where's my ring?"

"She's got you there" Destroyer added, I walked back to my seat and still felt Reaper's eyes on me, like a vulture. I grabbed my vest and zipped it, I was glad to hear a conversation had sparked between most of the team. When I say most I mean everybody but Reaper.

"Problem?" I asked quietly and slumped down next to him.

"What happened to these specially made bullets?" He asked quietly as if to take his mind off something else.

"I recovered 15 out of the twenty made, three where used and I never found the two others" I trailed off. After months of knee reconstruction and physical therapy I returned to Kholm with another crew to recover the Intel I'd lost in the helicopter crash. I faced my own personal hell but it still wasn't enough. "How does a marine know how to make bullets?" He asked, with a slightly amused look on his face.

"I wasn't always a marine" I answered simply. No one knew I was a training to be a scientist before I joined the marines except Brian and 'Goat'.

"I see" He replied and dropped the subject. John kept looking back to me then to the floor as if he were trying to say something but couldn't quite get it out

. "I don't blame you for Brian's death" John said out of the blue, I couldn't understand this man. One minute he's moody and silent, the next he's almost…nice.

"Why not?" I said flatly, I sure as hell blamed myself why not him?

"It wasn't your fault" He said and turned to me.

"Right…" I dragged the word out and sat back against my seat.

"Though I do miss the black and purple hair" I couldn't tell if he was joking or not but I decided to go along with it so I gave him a disgusted face.

"It was awful, wasn't it?" I replied with a smirk, he kind of just gave me a 'No shit' kind of look and I let out a small laugh. I was glad I had dyed over that monstrosity a long time ago and grown my hair out.

"I'll take that as a yes"


	4. Down the rabbit hole

_**Down the rabbit hole**_

"Look alive men, Game time!" Sarge announced as the chopper reached the ground with a slight swaying motion. I was used to being one of the men, it was easier than being treated like a woman in the marines. Everyone snapped their belts that restrained them off and heading toward the open door. Reaper was the first one out and I followed closely behind. I looked around the desert like place that was lit up with small lights to guide our way. Suddenly the ground began to shake and just a few meters away a metal…elevator? Sprung from the ground.

I followed closely behind Goat as our team began to enter the clean silver lift. Mac, Duke and Destroyer filed in behind me…but where was the Kid?

"Kid get your ass into gear!" I yelled from the elevator at the teenager who was ogling the shiny object. He snapped out of his trance and jogged into the elevator. I felt Sarge next to me move and watched as he got up close and personal with Kid.

"You hesitate people die" Ash growled at the poor boy. I was at the front next in between Sarge and Goat who had pushed Portman to the back. I didn't blame him. The lift moved beneath my feet and began its descend downward into the earth. We were packed tighter than a can of sardines and to my dismay Portman had pushed his way behind me.

"I think we got off on the wrong foot" Portman said in his creepy tone and I felt a jab in my back.

"Touch me one more time and you'll never get off again" I hissed sweetly and kept my eyes forward. Goat looked in my direction then whispered something about god striking down those who commit acts of evil. He was different, something had changed about him…

"Oh, don't tease me" Portman smirked, I could almost see the smug look on his face but I refused to turn around and acknowledge him.

The elevator door opened, revealing a flash lobby with scientists hurriedly scurrying around like scared mice. I didn't know what to feel toward them. We filed out of the elevator and into the lobby with three corridors, left, right or straight ahead. A man only a little taller than me stood from the reception desk and made his way over to Sarge. He was dressed in a UAC uniform that looked like it had been ironed to perfection without a single crease in sight. His hair was thinning and the glasses he wore raised as he sent us a pleasant smile.

"Sandford Crosby, UAC public relations" The man held out his hand to Sarge but Ash remained still with his usual cold glare.

"Follow me please" The man brushed it off and led us to a hall that was blindingly white and clean.

"How many people do you have up there?" Reaper asked.

"UAC houses eighty-five permanent researcher staff on Olduvai" Sandford explained and led us to an open white room that was decorated in pillars. It was two storeys with staircases leading from the centre of the room. Sandford stood next to the slightly raised centre of the room and smiled again.

"Welcome to the Ark, Gentlem…everyone" the scientist fixed his statement when he noticed me behind the hulking men. I was tall but these guys were massive. I smirked at his statement. "Keep your distance from the core, or you may get sucked in" He added and stepped back.

We circled around the liquid core, I had only travelled by Ark once on a mission with Ghost but I hated it. Kid leaned closer to Goat

"You…um you done this before?" He was freaking out, you could tell by the look in his eyes.

"Once…a training mission" Goat replied, not wanting to reveal any more.

"I hope you had a good dinner Kid" I internally groaned at Duke's statement but kept up my tough expression.

"As soon as we're through I need you to shut down the surface elevator here, Make sure we get the standard quarantine of six hours" Sarge ordered to Sandford.

"Ready to proceed" Sandford confirmed. "_Ark travel fifteen seconds and counting" _A robotic voice sounded through the speakers.

Sarge turned to Reaper who looked less than pleased about going first but he kept up his macho façade and adjusted his gun strap before closing his eyes and walking into the ball of liquid.

_"__Four…three...two…one" _

My stomach dropped as it consumed him and he disappeared. I volunteered to go next just to get it over and done with.

"Fuck…me" I muttered before the liquid engulfed me.

* * *

><p>Ark travel was like when you sit down for a long period of time and stand up too fast. It's a head spin, it feels like you're in a dimension of stars and weightlessness. It's disorientating, you don't know where you are. You start to panic that you'll be trapped in this black void until you are spit out onto a platform.<p>

I staggered drunkenly off the pad and dropped to my knees, I was used to the nausea from my many months in hospital so I could keep my food down but my mind was having a hard time focusing.

"Focus on the ground" Reaper knelt next to me and patted my shoulder.

"Easier said than done" I said distractedly and tried to focus. "Just do it" He smirked and stood. I would never admit it but focusing on the ground in front of me helped a lot.

"Shit" I muttered to myself and attempted to stand, I stumbled a bit but I stayed upright. Duke was next through the Ark, he looked worse than I did. He staggered a bit then fell. Goat, Destroyer and Mac followed close behind him, none of them in better condition than Duke. I knelt next to Goat and placed a hand on his shoulder

"You good, soldier?" I mused in his old tough voice. He gave me a weak smile and I offered him my hand which he took and staggered to his feet. I could see as the kid came through he was going to vomit, he lasted longer than I thought before blowing chunks onto the ground. Portman however vomited as soon as he came through "Why do we gotta come all the way out here?" Portman whined and lazily wiped the vomit from his mouth. "Why can UAC rent-a-cops take care of this bullshit?" he bitched but no one was listening.

"Is it always this rough" The kid asked and wiped his mouth.

"Believe me, it used to be a lot rougher" A voice called from across the room. We turned to see a half man half wheelchair rolling toward us with his arms folded. "There was a time when Ark travel was susceptible to….let's say major turbulence" He explained.

"What's he mean?" Kid asked Reaper.

"He means, he went to one galaxy, his ass went to another" I had to seal my lips together to stifle the laugh that threatened to escape just from the thought of what Reaper had explained. No one seemed to notice but received an amused glare from Reaper.

"Call it a scientific miscalculation…Unbelievably as it may seem the UAC does make the odd, tiny mistake" The man corrected John.

Sarge looked sideways at the man, taking a better look at just how he was attached to the wheelchair.

"Marcus Pinzerrowski, you can call me Pinky. Follow me" He turned and rolled his wheelchair to the other side of the room.

"Where are the other scientists?" Sarge asked Pinky. "In the atrium" Pinky responded and parked behind a console.

"Pinky put us up" Sarge ordered and handed us each a camera to attach to our rifles.

"Circle up men, on my three" Sarge said firmly.

We all faced each other in a circle and awaited with our weapons at the ready for Sarge's command. "One…two…three" Everyone aimed at the person opposite them, I was facing Duke.

"C'mon baby girl you wouldn't shoot me" Duke joked.

"I could try" I aimed a little higher and sent him a smirk.

"That's cold" He pretended to be upset

"Kill cams up and running" Pinky proudly announced.

Sarge placed his weapon by his side, "People this room is a code red. No one gets in without our permission. It stays ours at all costs" Sarge ordered to us with his usual cold glare then turned to Mac.

"Mac, Stay here with our friend and secure the door. Men, on me. Let's move out" I gave Mac a hopeful smile as I walked past him and followed after Goat. We walked through a circular door out of the Ark room toward the atrium. I clenched my jaw as the door clicked shut behind me and looked around the room where I was met by blank stares and whispers of curiosity.

"Where the fuck are we?" Duke asked in confusion. "A couple million light-years from breakfast" Goat replied and looked back to me. I was watching as Portman stalked toward a group of women. I quickly followed after him, call me what you will but he wouldn't get away with his arrogant behaviour while I was on this team. It was easier not being an official part of this team because I didn't have to hold back in fear of losing my job although I'd try to be a good little soldier and see how long that'd last me.

"Portman! Get back to your team!" I yelled at him and but he continued to approach women.

"Get back to your fucking team soldier" I hissed when I was closer to him, to avoid the ears of young children.

"Ladies we're under a level five quarantine, so I'm just going to have to strip search you" He said confidently to a group of young women but they had enough sense to brush him off.

"Portman!" I yelled in his ear, causing him to jump.

"What?" He dragged out as if he did nothing wrong.

"Get back to your team" I hissed irritably but he simply smirked and went after the nearest female in proximity. She looked smart enough to handle herself and somewhat familiar.

"We're under a level five quarantine, so I'm just going to have to strip—"

"Portman!" Sarge silenced the creep. I whacked Portman over the back of the head before resuming my position next to Goat. "Sarge did you-!"

"Quit bitching Portman" I hissed and smirked to Goat who looked amused. The woman in the white lab coat stopped in front of Sarge, she was a bit shorter than me with shining blonde hair put up into a clean pony tail. Something about her hazel eyes made me suspicious as she took us all in and paused on me for a split second. Those eyes….I'd seen them before. Then it hit me…Reaper. I turned to Reaper with a raised eyebrow then back to the woman. He glanced down at me with confused expression until it clicked that I'd figured it out.

"Sargent, this is doctor Samantha Grimm" A UAC security officer announced. "She's been assigned to retrieve data from the lab". I noticed something change in John's stature when he heard his sister would be joining us. "Sargent" Samantha nodded, she stood like nothing could faze her.

"Doctor Grimm" Sarge nodded. Her hazel eyes slowly moved the Reaper who seemed to tense up.

"Hello John" She said simply.

"Hello Samantha" He answered in a less than pleased voice.

"Hello Saman..." Duke tried but I violently kicked my leg back and made contact with his shin. "Ow, don't worry baby girl, I still love you" He joked and pushed his way next me to check out the doctor. I sent him a deathly glare but he was obviously distracted.

"Sarge this is a code red; we really don't have room for passengers" Reaper said to Sarge, Sam tilted her head with a pissed off expression.

"Excuse me, but I have orders to retrieve data from three different servers; anthropology, archaeology and genetics." Sam snapped to Reaper.

"This is a military operation, _Doctor_, we're not here to retrieve your science homework." He snapped back. I knew how important that 'Science homework' was to the researcher from my year as a Scientist when I was nineteen but I also knew John wouldn't risk having his sister on this mission.

"That science homework is the core study of a nine-billion dollar research program. You got the nine-billion, fine, cough it up pal, I'm sure UAC'll call it quits." Sam held out her hand for the money that would never come. I liked her already. Reaper smirked before glaring back at her.

"Give me the address, I'll send a check." This could go on forever

"Look I got an idea, why don't we ask your CO what your orders are, Sargent?" Samantha finally pulled out the big guns with a smirk and turned to Sarge.

"To contain and neutralize the threat, protect the civilians, and to…And to retrieve UAC property." Sarge responded with a groan, Samantha smirked and Reaper sighed.

"Are we finally done here, because I have a job to do?" She asked cockily. "If you'll follow me." Sam walked away from our team. I had to quickly stop myself from running into Sarge as he stepped in front of Reaper.

"You chose this Reaper. Is this gonna spoil my day?" He asked.

"No sir." Reaper replied. Duke slithered next to Reaper and popped up next to his shoulder.

"Tell me you didn't let a fine lookin' piece of ass get away from you Reaper." Duke watched Samantha as she walked away. "Duke" I said in a low voice as a warning. I couldn't tell whether Reaper was going to walk away or punch him square in the face, either way I was happy. I assumed since the two siblings had the same last name everyone thought they were married or divorced.

"She's my sister" Reaper said with a displeased tone. Duke stopped in his tracks, realising his mistake.

"No shit!" Duke replied in a higher tone than usual.

"Don't do this again man." Destroyer patted him on the back.

"You didn't take me kicking you in the shin as a sign to stop...talking?" I asked in amusement at his flustered state and shook my head before following after the team.

There are three sections to Carmack's lab complex." Sarge stated, wanting Sam to fill in the gaps.

"Archaeology, Genetics and Weapons Research." Sam replied.

"You test weapons up here?" Portman asked.

"Well it's a dead planet. You want this stuff tested up here where it's safe or in your own back yard? We're primarily an Archaeological operation. Weapons research is in its own separate facility, it has nothing to do with Dr Carmack's work." Samantha explain as we walked into a corridor.

How many were inside when the lab shut down?" Sarge asked and we all halted behind him.

Only Doctor Carmack's team, that's six people." Sam explained, "In one of the carbon dating labs, there was an internal phone left off the hook." She added grimly.

"You get any information from it?" Sarge asked and Sam looked to the UAC guard that had walked in with us. He held up a transmitter and pressed play.

Desperate screams filled the room, they were so raw and violent. They screamed for help that would never come. Everyone was silent as the screams echoed in the room. I'd never heard such screams of terror, whatever was up there was enough to reduce these people to paralysing fear. The Guard paused the recording while Sam opened a massive door and it hissed to life. The door opened to a black hallway. I readied my assault rifle and resumed my cold facial expression.

"Portman, Goat, lead on." Sarge ordered. I patted Goat's shoulder before he moved into the room to check on the toxicity levels of the air.

"Magnesium, Chromium, Lead it's all normal." Portman said. "All clear" Goat confirmed as Sarge barged in.

"Pinky give us a schematic." Sarge called.

"_Uploading to you now. _C_armack's lab is isolated from the rest of the facility. The air lock is the only way in or out." _Pinky called over the comms.

Sarge turned back to the team "Goat, Portman - Genetics. Kid, Destroyer - Carmack's lab where he made that call from. Reaper, Sin, keep Dr Grimm safe on her salvage op". I was a little offended he called me to be on this team only to babysit but I nodded nonetheless." Duke and I will take the Weapons lab, make sure all the hardware is secure. Be safe gentlemen and Sin" He added.

Sam seemed pleased she wouldn't be stuck alone with Reaper, but then again so would I.

"Goat, Portman on you"

Goat and Portman entered a tunnel and shone light to guide their way through the dark.

"Clear left" Portman said.

"Clear right" Goat responded.

Everyone entered after them in pairs. I paired up with the Kid since Goat was with Portman.

"Five bucks says this shit ain't nothing but a disgruntled employee with a gun." Portman said aloud. He seemed a little on edge walking through the darkness. Those screams were not from any fear a gun could put into a person. I'd been behind the trigger too many times to know this.

"Well if I find them I'll send them in your direction" I said firmly and he scoffed.

"She's quick" Destroyer commented, I couldn't see him but I recognised his voice.

I kept my senses sharp and gripped my assault rifle for any signs of movement. Kid was jumpy so I stayed close by him just in case anything popped out of the darkness.


	5. Deranged men and fire fights

**_Deranged men and fire fights_**

I broke away from the kid and left him with destroyer so I could follow after Reaper and Sam. I took the front much to Reapers dismay and he took the rear. I notice Sam stuck closer to me than John as we walked down a dark corridor with only the lights strapped to our guns to guide us. It felt like we were playing one of those horror games where the light suddenly go out and you are just waiting for something to pop out at you.

"Take the next right" Sam whispered, I nodded and held my arm out for her to stop before the next turn.

"You see something, Sin?" I squinted my eyes at the corridor ahead, I could've sworn I'd seen something move but I brushed it off as my imagination.

"No" I replied and turned the corner with my rifle raised.

I shined my light around the dark corridor, it was clear.

"It's clear" I called for Sam and Reaper to emerge from behind the wall.

"Take the front" I said to John and lingered in my spot as they passed by me. I turned and shone my light down the corridor behind us, my light caught something. It looked like a pair of eyes but no eyes I'd ever seen. It moved fast then I could comprehend and I stood frozen. What the hell is this place?

"Sinister, you coming or not?" John called from the end of the corridor.

"Yeah" I responded and walked back toward the door he'd gone through. I looked back over my shoulder before entering the room.

"Lock it" Reaper ordered, and I turned to lock the door while Sam worked on the lights. I had to adjust my eyes to the lights as they illuminated the lab and I scanned the room.

"Clear" I stated.

"It's clear" John sighed and lowered his weapon. I hesitantly followed his lead.

The lab was decorated with artefacts I had assumed they'd discovered on the planet. The one that struck my interest was a skeletal structure in a glass box, by the looks of it the first skeleton was female and it looked like she was shielding a baby from something. It was both fascinating and disturbing at the same time.

"How much time are you going to need?" John asked while Sam moved one of the three consoles in the room.

"Thirty minutes, tops." Sam replied and got to work.

"So '_Reaper'_?" Sam asked and looked up from her screen. "As in Grimm?"

"They're marines, Sam. Not poets." Reaper replied flatly.

"Sinister, how does a woman like yourself acquire such a name?" Sam turned toward me.

"Last name's Syn" I replied simply. Even if it weren't my last name I still would be branded as Sinister.

"How did you get mixed up with this rowdy bunch?" She asked.

"I was actually once a scientist like you back on earth, studying genetics. Of course my research was nothing as advanced as this" I replied distractedly as I studied the skeleton. I noticed Reaper turn to me with a surprised expression.

"What happened to that?" Sam asked and tapped away on the console.

"I was walking home from work one night from a late shift and some guy pins me against a wall. He didn't know at the time that I was not one to be fucked with. I punched him in the jaw and kept hitting till he stopped fighting back. He was dead by the time the police arrived and I was given the option of five years in prison or five years in the military." I looked up from the skeleton to the softened eyes of Sam and John. I hated being looked at like a lost puppy when I told people my sob story. I killed a man and I paid for it. People say it was unjust because he attacked me, my lawyer claimed it as self-defence but with my background of martial arts it was proven that I could've stopped before I took the man's life. Hell I know I could've.

"This is a humanoid remain is it not?" I asked and pointed at the skeleton.

"Oh yeah meet Lucy. Lucy this is my brother John. Another creature from the long lost past. That's Sinister, John's partner for now" Sam said and I smirked to her.

"You found human remains." Reaper decided to ignore her comment and marvelled at the remains.

"Humanoid. Lucy and her child were our first major find." Sam explained, he obviously hadn't been paying attention when I spoke. "We're bringing out more every day."

"You reopened the dig." Reaper turned to Samantha with venom in his words.

"I know I should've told you. But I didn't figure it was something I could jot down on a yearly birthday card." Sam explained calmly.

"It's been stabilized-"

"Bullshit!" Reaper snapped.

"That's enough! I honestly couldn't give a rat's ass about your family problems, sort it out in your own goddamn time. We've work to do" I yelled over the static that was ringing through my ear piece. The both glared at me but they knew I was right. Sometimes my old authoritative role shone through my soldier exterior and surprised even me.

"Do you hear that static?" I said and ripped out my ear piece.

"No?" He looked at me as if I were crazy. "Hmm, must only be mine" I brushed it off and put my ear piece back in. The static was gone…

"You want to know why I'm up here. Come here, I'll show you." Sam said and inserted a disk into the console.I squinted my eyes at the file and walked toward the console with Reaper in tow. "This is Lucy's chromosome profile, notice anything?" Sam asked.

"How is that possible?" I asked. "My molecular genetics is a little rusty." Reaper raised an eyebrow to both Sam and I as we marvelled at the screen. "What's the first thing Dad taught us to look for?" Sam questioned, making him take a closer look. "She's got twenty-four pairs of chromosomes." John stated.

"Bingo" I commented and walked back toward the remains. "Humans only have twenty-three" Sam clarified.

"Well what does the extra pair do?" He asked, now suddenly interested.

"Makes her super human. The extra pair makes her super strong, super fit, super intelligent." Sam explained and walked over to where I stood. "Her cells divide fifty times faster, meaning she would heal almost instantly" She continued. "The fossil record indicates these people have conquered disease. We found no genetic disorders, no viruses, no cancers." John turned and walked back toward Sam and I.

"So, what? They were just naturally superior?" Reaper asked in disbelief.

The console beeped and Sam wondered over to the screen. "No, not natural. You see the earliest remains we found had only twenty-three."

"So it's synthetic?" I asked simply.

"Bio-engineered? "John asked and turned to Sam. "They are long words for Marines." She teased.

"Affirmative" I replied with a smirk but John just shook his head. "Oh, lighten up" I chided to John. I was glad to no longer be a marine with a stick up my arse.

"Does it ever bother you that could have spent your life looking down a microscope instead of a sniper scope?" Sam directed to no one in particular.

"Nope, you can't take out a terrorist with a microscope" I replied simply, I loved my years as a sniper more than I ever could as a scientist.

"If they're so smart, how come they're so dead?" Reaper asked and looked to Sam. "We don't know. Maybe they just went with time?" She guess.

"Time?" I asked, not believing it for a second.

"You don't shield a baby from time." Reaper stated and looked back to the remains.

"You shield your baby from people, explosions, hell I don't know maybe even an outbreak of this synthetic virus" I said with venom.

"What are you saying exactly?" Reaper glanced at me with a pissed off expression.

"I'm saying that what if this chromosome found its way into the hands of a criminal or..." I noticed as Sam tensed up at the word criminal. She was hiding something from us. "Or mentally insane person, they'd be unstoppable. These remains have to be at least a couple thousands of years old, so what could terrify this woman to the point she'd run out of options but to shield her baby from this thing? I'll tell you: People, Rapists, thieves, murderers and sociopaths. They'd be enough to wipe out an entire civilisation if there had been enough hyped up with this chromosome".

He was about to rebut my argument before voices called over the comms.

_"We got movement ahead." _I recognised Portman's voice over the comms and I leapt into action. Turning on my heel I ran toward the door and waited for Reaper to appear next to me.

"You stay here okay, lock the door." John called back to Sam as he entered the code into the door controls. The door opened and we walked back into the dark hallway once more. I raised my weapon and took the front while he covered my back. I heard him grumble something under his breath but ignored it. Once a commander always a commander. I always took the front because I was quick and agile if something jumped out at us. Brian used to call me overprotective for wanting to take the front all the time, he knew I just didn't want anyone on my team to get injured. I would sacrifice myself for them any day of the week.

"I didn't know you were a scientist" John called from behind me.

"You learn something new every day" I said flatly and glanced around the corridor.

"Look, I'm not the asshole you think I am" He stated firmly.

"Could've fooled me" I responded and listened for any voices echoing on the comms but they were deathly silent.

Reaper pushed ahead and led the way down the dark corridors with the map Pinky had provided us with. Everything seemed normal as we turned multiple corners into corridors darker than the next.

"_Fucking doors been ripped open."_ Portman stated.

_"There's something in Carmack's office."_ Goat replied.

We dropped down to a lower level and hurried to Carmack's office. The sound of gunfire alerted me as the comms went silent.

"_Contact! Moving east through Carmack's office fast!"_

Reaper and I swung around the left corner to cut whatever was causing the panic. I stayed slightly behind him just in case it came from the rear.

"Hold your fire!" Reaper yelled as we came to an intersection of the halls.

The gunfire ceased and Reaper peeked around the corner, where Kid and Destroyer were. I looked around the corner opposite to us and saw something move, much to slow to be the thing I'd seen before. This thing was human.

"On me!" I yelled over my shoulder and took off after the man in a lab coat. I could hear their footsteps behind me but I was fast. I rounded a corner that led to a dead end and tackled the pale man to the ground. I pinned his arms around his back with my shin and pried the thing he'd been holding onto out of his hands.

"Sin, you good?" Reaper asked as he charged in after me. His light illuminated the object in my hand and I dropped it instantly. "Holy shit!" I yelled and jumped back onto the floor with my assault rifle drawn almost sliding into Reaper's legs as the man swiped at me and scurried after the severed arm I'd dropped.

"Why Doctor Carmack You've changed" I commented as the light of my rifle illuminated the frail and scared man. He was covered in blood and his eyes were wild like a rabid dog, I pitied him. "Don't move" Reaper warned me.

"Wasn't planning on it" I replied sarcastically.

I watched as Doctor Carmack took in the rest of the team that arrived behind us. He moved closer to the wall and clutched the arm. I heard Sarge approach and flick the light switch. The white corridor was illuminated instantly and Sam strolled past Duke.

"Sam I told you to stay-" Reaper sighed.

"He knows me John." Sam said and pushed past us to get to Doctor Carmack.

"Doctor Carmack it's me, Samantha." He didn't even bat an eyelid. Reaper held out a hand as I shifted off the floor and stood. I took it and moved next to him with my weapon raised in case Doctor Carmack got too friendly.

"Where are the others? Steve? Hilary?" Sam asked. "I'm not going to hurt you." She said calmly and approached him further. The Doctor retreated from her presence and his right hand reached across his face.

"Back away, Sam" I said calmly and stepped forward slowly to pull Sam back in case he pounced. Reaper gripped onto my arm to prevent me from getting too close, I watched as the doctor lurched forward and ripped his left ear off and aimed it at Sam as if that would scare her off.  
>"Jesus Christ!" Sam jumped back. "Fuck" I whispered and reached into the pocket on the leg of my pants for a medical kit.<p>

"Damn!" I heard Duke mutter. Portman however seemed rather amused and chuckled.

""Get a med kit!" Sam yelled and I quickly chucked her my one. She quickly tore open the package and doused Carmack's wound in quick clot.

"Duke, get him to the infirmary with Doctor Grimm. Portman, Kid, go to the airlock and dig in. Anything trying to get away from us will get driven to you." Sarge ordered.

"Now let's see if we can find a body that goes with that arm." He added.


	6. Here I go again

**_Here I go again_**

Goat, Reaper and I made our way back toward the genetics lab through the dark corridors. I took the back and Reaper took the front with Goat following a few feet behind. I still couldn't comprehend what I'd seen before in the corridor, whatever it was it wasn't human. I had to stay on my toes just in case. We'd only found one scientist so far, what if the others were in a worse condition than Carmack?

I followed behind Goat as we descended the stairs leading into the Genetics lab and strode lightly. A sudden crash rang out and my head popped up to see Goat had kicked a canister with his foot. The canister bounced of every single step before it reached the bottom and Goat muttered a curse under his breath. We stayed still to see if anything was awakened by the loud noise. I let out a breath, nothing but silence down here. Goat took out a hunting knife and ran it across his skin. My eyes widened and I jumped a couple steps just to take the knife off him.

"What the hell are you doing!?" I hissed in a whisper.

"I took his name in vain" Goat replied.

"Wha…that's not good enough" I said in disbelief. "You're not getting this back with that attitude" I hissed and sheathed the knife. I attached the weapon to my hip and looked back to Goat who was sharing an amused look with Reaper.

"Get moving" I ordered and moved down the staircase. I waited for Reaper and Goat to bless me with their presence at the landing of the stairs. I heard something and turned toward one of the corridors.

"What's up Sin?" Goat questioned at my frozen stature.

"Quiet…Do you hear that?" It sounded like something scraping against metal followed by a loud creak.

"The genetics lab" I stated with peeled eyes.

"Let's move" Reaper took the lead with me close behind. "We heard something in Genetics, we're re-entering." Reaper spoke into his mic. "_Copy that Reaper."_ Sarge confirmed.

John was the first to enter, "Looks like we missed the party." He observed. I walked in and stared in shock, animals had been ripped to shreds with their organs hanging of the bars of their cages.

"We were just in here." Goat said. "What happened to all the animals?" He asked in shock.

"What didn't happen to the animals?" I replied and observed the blood spatter on the wall. I saw John move to the left of me and I followed behind. We walked through a line of stacked cages when I saw Reapers light catch something.

"Reaper" I placed a hand on his shoulder and motioned toward the back of the lab. My light fell upon a white lab coat and Reaper nodded before approaching the man. He had his back to us, watching a mouse scurrying in its cage.

"Sir RRTS, we're here to help." Reaper said calmly. The man turned to us, he looked exactly the same as Carmack. Blood dripped off the front of his face with pieces of flesh lodged in it.

"Sir are you okay?" Reaper asked. The man picked up the scared mouse and sunk his teeth into its neck, decapitating it easily. I cringed at the crunching sound of the mouse's skull and watched as he devoured it. He slowly slurped up the tail like it was a bowl of noodles.

"Okay?" Reaper muttered. "Sir?" I asked and stepped forward. Suddenly the man picked up a serrated knife and held it above his head before snarling.

"No, no, no. Sir put it-" The man charged me, I ducked as he swung and I managed to swipe his legs out from underneath him. Reaper quickly grabbed the back of my vest, pulling me back with such force I'd landed on my ass. I grunted as I hit the ground but quickly rolled backward and landed in a kneeling position.I pulled the trigger of my weapon and the man flew back with the force of the three different weapons. He crashed into a glass divider and dropped the knife as he hit the ground.

"Damn it" Reaper murmured under his breath and turned to where I was knelt on the ground. All this plummeting to the ground wasn't good for my broken rib and I was beginning to feel it.

"You okay?" He knelt down next to me in concern and looked over my body to see if I was injured. "I'm just chipper" I joked and groaned as he pressed against my rib cage.

"Dick move" I joked and laughed in pain as he glanced to me with worry.

"What did you expect to achieve by approaching the deranged man?" He asked with a smirk. "Hey it was a better plan than you two came up with .Let's reason with the deranged man eating a mouse, because that's going to end well" I mocked and glanced to Goat who held out a hand to help me up.

"Sarge, we found one of the missing scientists. There's some weird shit going on." Reaper called into his mic.

"_Is he dead?"_ Sarge asked. "Yeah, very." Reaper replied._ Can you ID him?"_ Sarge asked. "Doctor Olsen" I replied into my mic and received confused looks from Goat and Reaper.

"What, you think I'd get that close to that…thing for nothing?" I asked simply. There was always method to my madness believe it or not.

"Should we bag him and tag him?" Reaper asked." _Negative. Continue your search." Sarge replied. _

I couldn't shake the feeling I was being watched, it was the same feeling I had in the corridor before I saw that thing.

"Let's move" Reaper called. I looked around the lab one last time before I followed after Goat and Reaper who took the lead. A deep snarling growl caused me to stop mid step just as I'd reached the door. It sounded like it was coming from…the ceiling?

"Sin!" Reaper called just as a creature dropped from the ceiling in the lab. "Fuck!" I yelled as the creature leapt onto a table and rushed toward me. I raised my weapon and fired off four bullets into its skull but it didn't even blink.

The creature moved faster than any man I'd ever seen and was at least double my height with rippling muscles. I dove out of the doorway and rolled into a kneeling position as it stormed into the hall. "Contact!" Reaper yelled as I got to my feet and raced after the creature. I caught sight of it as it rounded a corner and tried to catch up to it but damn it was fast. "_Reaper what've you got?"_ Sarge asked. "We're chasing something." Reaper replied "_What do you mean something?" _Sarge asked. "Something big! Not human!" Reaper replied.

"_Goddammit give me a confirmation on what you see!" _Sarge ordered. I rounded a corner into a dead end and halted. Where was the creature? I shone my light around the corridor but the bastard had vanished.

Goat entered after me followed by Reaper. "Reaper." Goat called and pointed to the ground where a manhole grate had been bent and twisted by the creature. "Great, it's in the sewers" I commented while breathing heavily and knelt next to the hole. Reaper shined his light into the open hole but there was no movement. "Sarge, it's in the sewers." Reaper called into his mic . "All units, all units. Southeast corridor, near the med lab." _"Copy that. All units, converge on Reapers position." _Sarge ordered.

* * *

><p>"I thought <em>'being in the shit'<em> was a figure of speech? Portman commented as he knelt next to the manhole.

"Get in the goddamn hole, Portman." Sarge ordered. Portman swung his rifle around his shoulder and entered the dark hole. I heard a satisfying splash as he hit the bottom of the sewer in seconds. I smirked and looked to Sarge who was glaring at me.

"Don't laugh you're next" Sarge directed to me and I responded with a simple sickly sweet smile. I didn't mind the sewers, it wasn't the worst place I'd been. I slung my weapon over my shoulder and descended the ladder rung by rung. I just knew Portman was staring at my ass. I looked down as I reached the last rung to see if it was safe to jump from the ladder. I could see Portman's light bouncing off the rippling water underneath the ladder

"Portman, You even look at my ass one more time and you'll mysteriously drown, Okay?" I called through the comms. I dropped into the tainted water and was assaulted with the stench of…well… a sewer.

The thigh high water was less than pleasant but sadly not the worst predicament I'd been in. Portman glared at me, I must've splashed him on my way down. I smirked before moving into position.

Goat was the next to climb down the ladder and drop into the sewage water, he didn't look bothered. The Kid was next he climbed slowly down the ladder and stopped at the last rung with a disgusted look on his face. He jumped into the water and looked like he was going to pass out by the stench. Reaper quickly climbed down and would've landed on the Kid if I hadn't pulled him out of the way.

"Watch it" I warned the Kid and got back into position. Sarge dropped down next, not even fazed by his surroundings. Destroyer entered last and landed heavily in the water.

"Pinky, what do you have?" Sarge asked. "_Tunnel ahead is the main junction. It leads back into the lab complex."_ Pinky replied. "Destroyer, cover the exit." Sarge ordered, Destroyer nodded and raised his massive chain gun. We moved out with Sarge and Goat up the front, the rest of us covered the back. We walked slowly, trying not to disturb the water more than we had to.

I hated not knowing what was under my feet, I just prayed it was solid ground. I stayed on my game, ignoring the small noises that would send the average person on edge. Sarge bent down and picked up a white lab coat. "We've got a doctor Willits, Steve Willits" Sarge read the name off the coat and threw it to the side.

"Move, out" He ordered

"_Be sober, be vigilant._" Goat began. "_Because you adversary the devil...walketh about seeking whom he may devour." _Goat spoke. I didn't even know him anymore, what had happened to him?

That's real comforting Goat." Portman commented. "That ain't freaking me out at all." He took a step before plummeting into the water.

"Portman!" Goat searched the water were he'd fallen.

"What the fuck?" Sarge asked. Reaper and I swung our guns and dove into the sewage water after him. I kept my head above the water and felt around till I caught his arm.

"Grab an arm!" Reaper yelled to Goat as we tried to heave Portman's weight up. "Son of a bitch" I swore while Portman flailed under the water "That son of a bitch is heavy!" Reaper cried. Suddenly Portman's head popped up and we stumbled back.

"Shit!" Portman cried with sewer water dripping off his hair. "Portman, what the hell happened?!" Sarge barked. I was soaked up to my neck but at least I'd fared better than Portman.

"I fell in the damn hole! Shit!" Portman whined and pointed to where he'd fallen. That son of a bitch should be grateful we didn't let him drown. "Everybody on me! And watch your god damn footing! Move!" Sarge yelled as we started to move out.

"Well done, Portman" I commented as I walked past him. "Fuck you" He replied, still sulking. "You'd like to" I smirked and followed after Goat.

"Goat, Sin straight ahead. Reaper, take the Kid and go right. Portman you're with me" Sarge ordered and I moved next to Goat.

"The old team back together again" I commented and he smirked at me.


	7. For Whom The Bell Tolls

_**For Whom The Bell Tolls**_

Goat and I moved through the sewer silently, I took the front like old times and he stayed a few steps behind.

"Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep," Goat whispered "If I should die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take." I continued and turned back to him.

"What happened to you after our last mission?" I asked quietly but I knew he'd heard me. "I became violent and impulsive so I turned to god for answers" He replied simply.

"You suffered post-traumatic stress disorder?" I asked calmly, "Something like that" He confirmed and we moved ahead. I myself spiralled into a life threatening addiction of my own, one with a lot more permanent damage than drugs and alcohol could ever inflict. Street fighting, I never killed a man while street fighting but I came close.

"I'm sorry…for leaving you" I said firmly and illuminated the sewer ceiling with my light. "I know you Valkery, you wouldn't of left without a reason" Goat replied and I smirked. He was always so forgiving.

"_Goat, Sin, I think there's something coming up behind you."_ Reaper's voice echoed in my ear._ "It's in the water."_

_"_Shit" I cursed and spun around to shine my light behind me, it was clear…for now. I saw Goat's light flicker in the corner of my eye and watched as it faded to nothing." Oh this can't be happening." Goat whispered. "My light is out.

"Here" I pulled the light attachment from my glock and handed it to him. It wasn't as powerful as the lights on the rifles but it'd do the job. We moved quietly through the water with my light being the primary source of illumination, Goat followed close behind. "Anything?" He asked. "It's clear" I replied.

_Don't move. I'm on my way."_ Reaper said through the comms. "Pinky, can you see anything?" Goat asked.

"_Nope. Nothing."_ Pinky replied. I internally groaned as my light started to dim then flicker. It must have been the sewer water from diving in after Portman that fucked up the bulbs in the lights. "We lost both lights" I whispered into my mic.

"We're using the light from my glock but it's about as useful as a candle in this place" I informed the team. A loud hissing noise alerted me and I walked back to back with Goat. Suddenly I felt something brush against my legs and I froze. I unzipped my vest and reached for the lighter I usually carried in hopes it was still there from my last mission. I sighed in relief as my fingers wrapped around the cold object and I held it out in front of me. It made a loud click as I flicked the mechanism and a small flame came to life. Goat tapped me on the shoulder and I turned around to see two blue luminescent eyes staring back.

"Doctor Willits?" Goat questioned as five other eyes opened and the creature lurched forward. The creature swung out its claws across my unprotected stomach with such force I slammed back against the wall. My head rebounded off the wall and I had to blink multiple times to keep myself conscious. the thing attacked Goat's neck until he stopped moving.

"Report in" Reaper spoke, "Goat and Sin what's your position? Sarge ordered. "Sin, where are you?" Reaper's voice echoed in my ear as I slid down the wall while clutching my stomach and hit the ground. "Eric!" I cried desperately over the pounding in my head.

Eric's screams erased my darkening vision. What was I doing?! I couldn't pass out, not now and most definitely not here. I was better than that. I got to my feet and the creature turned to me.

"Come get me you son of a bitch" I said firmly and raised my weapon. My heart was racing and my determination grew at the thought of killing this creature. "Sin, speak to me!" Sarge ordered, "Godamn it Reaper, report to me". The creature swung its hand and ripped into the skin of my cheek with its claws. I gasp and clutched my cheek as I fell into the wall but managed to stay upright. This creature pissed off the wrong person. In a fluid motion I aimed at the creature and held down my trigger. I fired two bullets into the creature's head and it fell back into the sewer water with a low squeal but continued to writhe.

"Just die, you bastard" I walked over to the creature put my foot on what I assumed was its chest and fired a single bullet into its brain.

"No, Eric!" I turned back to his motionless body and shook his shoulders desperately.

"Man down, man down!" I yelled over the comms. I could feel the blood trickling down my numb cheek. but it was nothing compared to the thought of losing Eric.

" Sin! Goat!" Reaper yelled as he came into my vision, I quickly zipped up my vest to hide the wound on my rib cage that soaked my shirt in blood.

"Here" I replied weakly and leant against the sewer wall next to Eric.

"Hey, are you okay?" He replied and stared at me with wide eyes as his light illuminated my bloodied face. Sarge ran in after him and attended to Goat. I didn't answer, I just stared distantly at him.

"Valkery!" He yelled and knelt down to my eye level. "Where's the creature?" He asked softly and I motioned to the floating monster to my left. I looked over to Goat, his eyes were glazed open in fear. He didn't even see it coming.

"You good, Sin?" Sarge asked, I didn't respond I just nodded weakly. My eye caught the movement of a vein in Eric's neck and I quickly put my fingers on his neck.

"Shit, he's still alive, get him to the infirmary" I said firmly and pushed myself off the wall.

* * *

><p>Sarge and Reaper half carried Goats body as we ran through the atrium. With every step I could feel my rib cage burning with protest but I wouldn't slow down until we reached the infirmary. Blood seeped down my face and absorbed into my uniform, I couldn't imagine what I looked like to the scared scientists that made way for us as we charged through the atrium. Portman and Destroyer dragged the creature's body in a black body bag behind us. The rubbing of my vest on my raw wound was a pain I'd never forget but I soldiered on.<p>

I couldn't help but stare at Eric's unresponsive body, I never thought I might be the last remaining survivor of our old team. He was like a brother to me, it killed me that I had missed out on three years of his life. I didn't even try to reach him because I thought I was protecting him, I should have been there for him, dammit! Even though I lied to him for three years he understood, I couldn't have asked more than what he gave me…I decided I wouldn't be the one to be paralysed with grief, I was Valkery Syn and I was out for blood.

"Everyone get to the Ark now!" Sarge ordered. "Huengs move the quarantine zone, evacuate the entire facility! Get everyone to the Ark." Ash ordered to the UAC security guy from before.

"What's going on?" Huengs asked in fear. "Get to the goddamn Ark!" Sarge ordered. Huengs quickly moved people toward the Ark as our team hurried toward the infirmary. I raced ahead of Sarge and Reaper and punched in the code to the door. Sam and Duke stared at us as the door slid open. I held a nearby Gurney still as Reaper and Sarge laid Goat on top of it. Reaper quickly grabbed a heart monitor and dragged it close enough to the gurney.

"What happened?" Sam asked.

"He was talking about devils." Portman mumbled.

"Devils?"

"All his bible shit. Angels good and evil. The devils among us." Portman explain.

"We need to get this vest off!" Reaper yelled, I quickly walked over to where Destroyer was fumbling with Eric's vest and ripped it off.

"Airways clear." Destroyer called to Reaper.

"Got a weak pulse." Duke said as he placed two fingers on Eric's wrist. Reaper tore open Eric's shirt and placed two sensors from the heart monitor on his chest. I wasn't a doctor but I knew the readings weren't good.

"Portman, get a second line." Reaper ordered to a scared looking Portman. Portman's hand kept shaking and the needle missed its mark. He was basically just stabbing Eric. I grabbed to needle from Portman and slowly pushed it into Goat's ankle. "Second line's in" I responded and stepped back. How's the pulse?" Reaper asked Duke. "I'm losing him!"

Kid looked terrified as he kept pressure on the neck wound and looked to me with wide eyes.

"Sam, get me a shot of adrenaline." Reaper called to Sam. I glance to the monitor as a loud beep rang out, indicating Eric's heart stopped beating. I've lost the pulse." Duke called.

"Shit!" Reaper muttered in frustration. "Let's defib!" He grabbed the defib paddle and turned back to Goat. "Charging...clear!"

I stopped breathing as Goat's body lurched upward and a single beep came from the monitor. That single beep lasted only a second before he flat lined once more.

Shit. Come on man." Duke pleaded.

"Sam, give me that adrenaline." Reaper ordered. Sam handed him the needle which he injected into Eric's heart and quickly pulled it out. Just like before a single heartbeat caused the monitor to beep before it flat lined again.

"Charging again...clear!"

"Come on you son of a bitch." Reaper swore as the heart beat was lost once more. God I wished Brian was here right now, he was a fully trained paramedic and I had very little medical knowledge. I could only stand back and let Reaper take over.

"We're losing him." Duke commented.

"Ok, we're going again. Clear!" Eric's body lurched upward once more but didn't respond to the electric currents being used to kick start his heart.

"C'mon Eric" I murmured and looked toward the flat lining monitor.

"He's gone." Reaper murmured and that god awful ringing echoed throughout the room. It hit me like a tonne of bricks, the world seemed to be in slow motion as the words left Reaper's mouth. The high pitched noise against the pounding of my head was torturous. In a swift motion I swung back my rifle and buried it into the monitor. The screen sparked and hissed as it shattered but the flat lining beep had stopped. Everyone jumped from the shattering noise and turned their heads toward me as I approached Eric.

"If I should live another day, I pray the Lord to guide my way." I whispered hoarsely and placed my forehead against his as a single tear left my eye.

"We'll met again, Brother" I glanced at his lifeless body before ripping off his dog tags and passing them to John.

"Doctor, you are going to tell me just what the fuck is going on up here?" Sarge was pissed and I didn't blame him.

"What?" Sam asked as if she had no clue what he was talking about.

"Come here." Sarge called. Sam didn't move an inch.

"Come here!" He repeated.

Sarge knelt over the black body bag containing the creature and unzipped it.

"This is _'what'" _Sarge hissed with hatred. The creature was twisted and contorted in strange directions from the bullets I'd embedded into it. Its eyes were open and black blood oozed from it.

"Oh God!" Sam cried out and staggered backwards.

"Have you found anything like this on your archaeological digs?" Sarge asked.

"No" Sam answered firmly.

"Is there any way this thing came from the surface? From the outside?" Sarge asked

"The planet is completely dead." Sam explained.

"It came from somewhere lady." Portman butted in.

"Portman, shut up." Sarge snapped.

"The atmosphere can't support life." Sam explained in more detail.

"Maybe it doesn't need air huh? It could've come from another plant or something?" Portman said, he was truly going insane.

"What like an alien?" Sam asked sarcastically.

"Look at that thing!" Portman yelled, I would've objected but this was one of the very rare times Portman had stated something I had agreed with.

"Portman! You need to shut the fuck up!" Sarge yelled and Portman obeyed.

"That's not what we saw." Reaper stood and glanced in my direction.

"That's not what Goat and I shot at in genetics." He continued.

"You telling me there's more of these things?" Portman whined.

"That's exactly what he's saying. That thing we shot at was huge and moved faster than anything I've ever seen. This one got taken down by three bullets, I fired four into the other and it didn't even blink" I explained. Sarge glanced in my direction then back to Sam.

"Where are your surface entry points?" Sarge asked to Sam.

"There's a pressure door at the end of the north corridor." Sam explained

"Destroyer, you Kid and Portman get there on the double." Sarge ordered.

"Yes sir." Destroyer nodded and moved out.

"Whatever this thing is, it cannot get back to the Ark." Sarge said. "Mac?"

_Sir?_

"I want you to arm Pinky with a weapon, with some ST grenades, and seal the Ark door." Sarge ordered and turned to me with a softened look.

"Sinister" He said firmly.

"Ready for war, sir!" I said as convincingly as I could and shouldered my weapon.

"Reaper patch her up, I'll give you fifteen minutes"

"There's one other door." Sam said.

Sarge looked to her. "Where?"

Sam opened her mouth to answer, but Reaper intervened. "The entrance to the archaeological dig."


	8. Revelations

_**Revelations**_

I winced slightly at the cool feel of the antiseptic on my cheek and gritted my teeth as it began its stinging sensation. I sat quietly on the table as John began stitch the three claw marks across my left cheek. To be honest I welcomed the pain, it told me I was still alive even if I didn't feel it. My eyes drifted to Eric's body and the numbing feeling came back. I wish I could erase the pain, god why did it hurt so much?! I loved him like a brother just as I did Brian but this time it felt so surreal.

"He used to tell us stories of you whenever a mission had gone badly or he was drunk, he missed both you and Brian but your 'death' hit him the hardest" Reaper spoke softly and looked up from his work. I looked up into his soft hazel eyes and sighed.

"He was my brother in arms" I responded in a monotonic voice. "He gave me and my team one hundred and ten percent, I couldn't have asked more than that" I said softly and glanced back over to Eric's body.

"He said the exact same thing about you, at your funeral." Reaper said distractedly as he tied of the last suture.

"You went to my funeral?" I asked sceptically.

"Let me take a look at your broken rib" He said casually, avoiding my question.

"It's alright" I said calmly, not wanting him to see the wound across my rib cage.

"Sinister?" He said softly and gave me an unsure look, knowing I was hiding something. I met his glare and he reached to touch my rib cage. I remained unfazed as he pushed against the wound, It burned like a bitch but I refused to have people worry over me. He still held his gaze to see if my face hinted any pain and I stared straight back at him, he seemed satisfied and removed his hand.

"Ow, son of a bitch!" I yelled as he basically smacked my rib cage and I doubled over in pain.

"Fucking Christ!" I spat and clutched my abdomen. I saw Sarge, Duke and Sam look over to me in alert but soon turned back to their work.

"Don't lie to me, Valkery" He spoke softly and grabbed my shoulders to see if I were okay. He thought it was just a broken rib.

I unzipped my vest, lifted my thermal shirt and revealed the ugly slash where the creature had struck me with its claws.

"Where you planning on mentioning the gash on your ribcage or were you just going to wait until you'd passed out from blood loss?" He asked sarcastically and motioned for me to lie down on the table.

"I hadn't decided" I responded and smirked at his angered expression. He seemed so pissed about the fact I'd hidden the wound. I slowly laid down on the table and felt blood trickle down my side from my shift in position.

"Try to stay still, this is going to sting" John said calmly but I could sense the anger behind his tone. I gritted my teeth at the quick clot being poured onto the slash but refused to scream from the pain. I felt the needle pierce my skin as he stitched my skin together with the same pissed off expression I'd seen many times before.

"Why does it bother you so much that I didn't tell you about the cut?" I asked firmly.

"Because I…we need you to be okay for this mission" He said angrily and tied of the suture.

"Hey" I said and grabbed his wrist before he could swab my wound. "I survived being shot twice, a helicopter crash and an explosion all in the same day, you think this is going to keep me down?" I asked with a sad smirk. He said nothing but I noticed a smirk pull at the corners of his mouth.

"Exactly" I replied.

"Just…don't you die on me" He said softly and cleared his throat.

_'__Don't you die on me', Stay with me for five more minutes" _

"What did you just say?" I propped myself on my elbows and looked at him with wide eyes.

"It was you…You were the soldier that stayed with me when I got shot" I said distracted and looked back into his guilty eyes.

"You remember?" He asked in surprised.

"But why...you hated me?" I asked in confusion.

"Because I knew how much you meant to Brian, and I never hated you. Just disliked...a lot" He responded and turned to retrieve a bandage for my ribcage.

I was speechless, of all people I would've never guessed it was him who'd saved me.

"You're going to need to sit up slowly" John said but I was already on the edge of the table.

"or not" He mused.

I stood up and walked over to one of the computer screens to see the reflection of the wound. The first claw mark started just below my right breast and ran down to my waist. The other three sat about an inch or two below each other.

"It'll scar, but you'll live" Reaper appeared behind me holding what looked like a massive waterproof band aid.

"Now hold still for five seconds" John smirked as ripped the packaging off the bandage and softly placed it onto the wound. It must've been doused in antiseptic because it burned and caused me to wince slightly.

"Any other life threatening wounds I should know about?" Reaper asked. It came out as sarcasm but I knew he was serious.

"Check back in an hour or so and we'll see" I replied with a small smirk and picked up my rifle.

"We're done here Ash…Sarge" I corrected myself and fixed my vest.

"What happened down their Sin?" Sarge called and strolled over to where I was sitting. I removed the light from my rifle and unscrewed the casing.

"Both our lights went out and when we turned around the creature was there. It smacked me out of the way…twice and went straight for Eric's neck, I didn't register what happened until it was stalking over to me and I fired at it until it stopped moving." I explained bluntly and wiped the bulb on my pant leg.

"Why didn't it go for you?" Sarge asked and stood in front of me. I didn't look at him because I was busy trying to dry out the sewage water from my light. Quite honestly I didn't care what Sarge had to say.

"I don't know, Eric was the closest to it so I guess it was going to come back for me" I suggested and strapped the light onto my rifle. The light flickered before shining a beam of light onto the floor.

"Just what the fuck did you get me into? Terrorists? Too easy. Murderers? Try harder, Rapists? Give me a photo and a gun, but fucking aliens? You're dreaming!" I spat as Sarge towered over me.

"I warned you that you may not return"

"And I accepted that under the assumption I wouldn't have to see my brother murdered by fucking E.T!" I yelled firmly, Sarge gave me his hard ass glare but I was so pissed and in so much pain I didn't care.

"My men knew the possibilities when they joined the RRTS"

"Knew the possibilities!?...Look at him!" I squared off with Sarge and pointed to Eric's body. Something was different about Sarge…I couldn't put my finger on it.

"That is not the face of knowing" I lowered my tone when I noticed to attention I'd drawn. Sam stared in pride whereas Duke stared in disbelief.

"There are casualties in war" Sarge replied with a clenched jaw.

"This isn't war this is genocide, soldiers actually have a chance in war" I hissed

"You want to give me advice on how to lead my men? Tell me where is your team now?" Sarge asked with venom. That son of a bitch. This asshole knew the circumstances of my last mission and he still went there. Something was wrong he never snapped like that.

*Crack*

I didn't realise what I was doing until my fist made contact with his jaw. Shit!, I was royally fucked. His head snapped to the side and his hand quickly reached for the cut on his lip.

Sarge looked pissed, by pissed I mean he looked like he wanted to kill me. Suddenly he reached for the front of my vest and slammed me into the closest wall.

"You listen to me and you listen good. You may have been a commander but that perished along with your team. You are nothing do you hear me, soldier?!" I could barely breathe as he pushed me into the wall. I remained unfazed and glared at him, that look in his eye…I'd seen it before in Athena's eyes.

"It only took a hit in the face to break you. Why Sarge you're losing your touch." I said in a flat and taunting voice with a smirk plastered on my face. I was used to scary guys in my face but Asher was by far the most intimidating.

"Sarge" Reaper said calmly and came between us as Sarge's grip tightened. Duke pulled Sarge off me and John checked to see if I were alright.

"Just remember Asher, Kings don't win wars. Soldiers do." I said slyly as John basically dragged me to where Samantha stood dumbfounded.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" Reaper hissed and faced me.

"Something's wrong with him, his whole demeanour is changed. When have you known Sargent Asher Mahonin to snap like that?" I said quietly.

"You think it's the virus?" John asked in scepticism.

"No, he may be strong but the force he used to pin me against the wall wasn't superhuman and he didn't heal after I hit him. This is something else entirely." I explained.

"So, you hit a man who was not only a trained marine but was also armed with a rifle to see his reaction?" Reaper asked in annoyance.

"You learn quick" I smirked and walked past him but he caught my arm.

"You're insane" He stated.

"Darlin, Insanity left us behind and got the fuck off this planet" I replied with a serious tone.

"Just…stay here and I'll talk to Sarge" Reaper patted my arm before walking back to Sarge.

* * *

><p>I watched as Samantha examined the dead creature's body with a look of disgust plastered on her face. I sat at a stool next to the gurney the creature was on staring distantly at the bullet wounds I'd inflicted on it. God I wished Brian was here…just to tell me I could do this, I was losing faith quickly.<p>

"Sinister?" Samantha asked quietly and snapped me out of the daydream.

"Yes?" I asked in confusion.

"Do you have a history with Sarge?" Samantha asked in a soft tone.

"Meaning?" I asked in confusion.

"Well…you know" Sam tried to explain.

"Oh, you mean did we sleep together?" I asked and she nodded slightly.

"Well…hell no. We're just two different people" I explained and scrunched up my face at the thought of it.

"I'll break the news to Duke" She said cockily.

"You guys placed bets on if I'd slept with Sarge?" I asked in amusement and turned to see Reaper standing next to me.

"How much money did you win?" Reaper asked to Sam.

"$20" She said proudly.

"What was the answer?" He asked in his usual pissed off tone.

"Oh that's for us to know and you to find out" I replied with a smirk. Annoying John was basically my duty at the moment plus it be hilarious seeing him attempt to ask Sarge.

"Right…Sarge wants to see you" Reaper said to me with a more angered tone than usual.

"See ya doc" I smirked and walked back to where Duke was chatting with Sarge.

* * *

><p>"How are you feeling?" Sarge asked with anger evident in his voice.<p>

"Ready for war" I responded bluntly.

"Reaper?" Sarge turned to John for his opinion.

"Sarge, I would suggest she stay here" "Are you serio..." I intervened but was cut off. "But… it is her choice" John spoke over me. I didn't expect that from him.

"Sinister?"

"Well let's just say if you were expecting me to stay here you'd be shit out of luck" I smirked and glanced up from my weapon.

"Just try not to tackle any deranged men" Reaper retorted.

"That would be no fun, I'll wait until you least expect it" I replied with a smirk.

"You take it easy on those stitches." John said, ignoring my comment.

"I won't make any promises" I replied bluntly and shouldered my weapon before walking toward the door.

I passed Sam and Duke who looked at me with little smirks on their faces.

"What?" I asked and cocked an eyebrow.

"You be careful, baby girl" Duke walked to me and gave me a quick side hug as Reaper and Sarge approached.

"I'll try just for you" I said sarcastically as he moved back next to Sam.

"Take care of the doctor or I'll come back here and beat your ass in half" I smirked.

"Watch him Sam, he grows on you" I chided and moved next to John.

"He grows on you?" John asked in amusement as we moved out.

"Oh, shut up it was the best I had" I replied and punched his arm. He scrunched up his face to pretend It hurt.

"I almost felt that" John retorted and typed in the code to the door.

"You wanna feel it?" I replied and cracked my knuckles, he smirked and waited for Sarge to enter first.

"No, I've seen what you do to people who fight you. I don't wish to cry in front of my sister" Reaper replied, he must've been referring to the time I broke a guy's arm in training and he cried like a little bitch.

"Good choice" I smirked.

I turned back to Sam and Duke who still had smirks on their faces and Duke motioned a love heart in the air.

My middle finger felt inclined to oblige and Duke replied with a hurt facial expression. I smirked and saluted them before walking out of the door.

"Be careful, Sin" Sam shouted after me.


	9. Sinister

_**Sinister**_

Sam's P.O.V

As soon as Sin left the room Sam turned to Duke with a small smile.

"Tell me about Sinister" Sam said to Duke with a scalpel and penlight in hand to do an autopsy on the creature.

"Not much to tell, except she's the scariest woman I've seen in training" Duke replied from across the room.

"Meaning?" Sam replied.

"She's a cage fighter, she broke a guy's forearm in half just from sparing with him. I've never seen somebody with so much determination and focus in the field though. She was quickly promoted to commander of a temporary task force. She's the youngest woman in the history of the marines to be promoted to such a high rank. The men bitched and whined but she deserved it." Duke explained.

"I'm guessing something happened?" Sam said distractedly as she examine the creature's throat.

"Her sister shot her in the stomach with an armour piercing round, the bullet went straight through her stomach and hit Brian in the chest. He died and she lived. But there's a reason we call her "Sinister" now instead of Syn. She shot her sister with a sniper rifle, not just a single bullet to the skull…no…she took out Athena's knees first and while her sister was writhing on the ground in pain Sin put a round in her skull."

Duke explained darkly.

"Was Brian her boyfriend?" Sam asked.

"No…he loved that girl though" Duke added as Sam scraped some saliva of the inside of the creature's throat.

"Why is John so hostile toward her?" Sam asked and wiped the saliva onto a sample dish.

"The RRTS is hard even for the men and with a woman showing you up…well she wasn't well liked. Brian and John were close friends until Brian started to warm up to Sin, John didn't like it and he told her exactly what he thought of it. She and John avoided each other at all costs but when Brian left unit 6 to join her taskforce John and Sin got into a screaming match, but knowing Sin she uses her fists instead of words and sucker punched Reaper in the jaw. They didn't see each other again until she was bleeding out in Afghanistan, Sin must've seen a red laser on Reaper because she pushed him down and took a bullet in the chest. The Kevlar stopped it but she was in such bad shape that John couldn't tell if it hit her or not." Duke said.

"He's mad at her for taking a bullet for him?" Sam asked in confusion.

"No, he's mad at her for dying on him. He stayed with her every day for a week in the hospital while she was in an induced coma. I guess he felt guilty that even after all the shit he'd given her she still took a bullet for him. The military told us she died and when she showed up after three years of being 'dead' I guess all those feelings came back to Reaper." Duke explained.

"They wiped her from the system?" Sam asked while looking into the creature's mouth with her penlight.

"She had people after her"

"Then why did she come back?" Sam replied in confusion.

"She hunted those people down one by one until it was safe to come back" Duke replied and fiddled with a desk ornament.

"We're lucky to have her on our side" He added.

"Shit." Sam muttered as she dropped the penlight down the creature's throat.

"Duke, hold this open" Sam motioned toward the thing's large jaw.

* * *

><p>We all met up in the atrium except Duke who stayed behind with Sam.<p>

"We're going back in." Sarge said.

"We're not calling in backup?" Portman asked in disbelief.

"The Ark is sealed. Nothing gets back through until everything on this planet it dead. We're going in hot." Sarge turned to Portman.

You're serious?" Portman asked.

"Pick up your weapon Portman." Reaper said.

"Come on Portman." Destroyer said in annoyance.

"Didn't you all see how that thing greased Goat?" Portman asked and looked to me.

"It fucked up Miss cage fighter pretty good." He added.

"You want to be next Portman? I can arrange it" I spat back and cocked my desert eagle for effect.

"It's SOP to call in reinforcements when a situation is-"

"We ARE the reinforcements!." Sarge snapped. "Now you shoulder your fucking weapon, soldier."


	10. Blow Me Away

_**Blow Me Away**_

I caught up with Mac and headed toward the archaeological dig, Reaper seemed a little more on edge than normal but I didn't press the matter.

"Pinky, we're entering the archaeological dig site now." Sarge called into his mic. We entered the dig site one by one.

We descended a set of stairs that led into a room that had lines of lights running, I assumed they had their own power source. Rock samples and digging equipment sat on a table a couple feet in front of us. We walked further toward the centre of the dig sight and stopped to see John staring at pictures and samples in the room. It felt eerie being in here, it was almost like entering a graveyard.

"Mac secure the exit" Sarge called to Mac. Mac nodded and fell behind.

We entered what seemed like a tools room, it was neatly packed with tools varying from chisels to chain saws. I had no idea why they'd need a chainsaw up here. I took the middle and Sarge took the rear surprisingly. I felt the whole tunnel shake and a rock slammed against my boot. I shone my light to move on and saw Reaper staring at the pile of rocks with fear hidden under his soldier exterior.

"John, you okay?" I said softly, the empathy in my tone surprised even me.

"Sin, move ahead and search for the airlock" Sarge ordered, I nodded and patted Reaper's shoulder as I moved forward into the dark tunnels. I kept my weapon raised through the dark corridors. I had a no idea where I was going I just followed the signs that were mounted at every corner.

"Air lock" I mouthed and scanned one of the signs with my light until my eyes landed 'Air lock'.

"Air lock straight ahead" I said softly and moved out.

"Shit" I whispered as my eyes landed on two bodies that looked exactly the same as . The look of fear was unmistakable. Both had been mauled to death and blood was sprayed in all directions. One of them had his head snapped around at 180 degrees so his body was face down but his head looked up to the ceiling. I knelt over the bodies and ripped off the two name tags.

"Sarge, You might like to see this" I called into my mic and shined my light on the two tags.

"Clay and Thurman" I whispered. Shit…these guys didn't even stand a chance.

Sarge appeared behind me in seconds.

"Meet Doctor Clay" I stood and shined my light on the man who had his back ripped open. "And Thurman" I turned to the scientist that was slumped in a corner.

"Look at them. They weren't to stop something from getting in. Something stopped them from getting out." Sarge observed just as Reaper walked in.

"Mac stand by. Destroyer, report." Sarge spoke into his mic.

"_We've reached the north airlock. It's secure. Console indicates nothing come in or out for twenty-six hours."_ Destroyer replied quickly

I heard a deafening roar through my ear piece and quickly pulled it out of my ear. Chills ran up my spin when I heard the same terrifying roar echoing through the tunnels.

Shit..Mac was down there.

"Mac!" I yelled into my mic and placed my ear piece back in before sprinting down the tunnel with my weapon raised.

"Mac do you copy?" Sarge's voice echoed through my ear as I ran with Reaper close behind. Shit…the stitches on my ribcage burned with every movement.

"Talk to me. Talk to me Mac." Sarge yelled desperately.

"Oh, Fuck!" I stopped in my tracks at the sight of what my light had caught. Mac's decapitated head lay a few feet from his body along with a pool of blood.

Reaper said nothing he just reached down and ripped off Mac's dog tags.

"Shit" Sarge murmured.

A thunderous growl caused me to quickly raise my weapon and turn, it sounded like it was coming from behind us. I looked to Reaper with determination then to Sarge who nodded and I moved forward. I could sense Reaper close behind me, I glanced to my left and squinted into the darkness.

"Contact!" John opened fire and sprinted after it. I quickly leapt into action and chased after him.

"We're in pursuit, moving fast out of the dig!" Sarge's voice echoed in my ear.

We rounded a corner and Reaper started firing again, I couldn't risk shooting John in the back so I took a short cut and turned down a corridor to cut it off.

Pinky what do you see?" Sarge asked.

"It's big. Very big. Moving fast, back towards the lab complex."

I came out at the closed door of the Lab and shined my light down the corridor to see the creature charging at me. I knelt and pulled the trigger of my rifle, shit…not again. The creature didn't even seemed fazed, just pissed off. I gasped as it dug its claws into my shoulders and slammed me against the wall. I smacked my head hard but it almost seemed like the thing opened the door by itself.

"Sin?!" Reaper knelt next to me and grabbed my shoulders. I winced and he gave me a look of confusion before shining the light onto his hand.

"It's in the lab" I said painfully and moved into a sitting position. I could barely breathe from the aching of my ribs.

"Stay here" Reaper said softly.

"Not in this lifetime" I added firmly and picked up my rifle that had left my grasp.

"Valkery…"

"Sin, you okay? Sarge interrupted Reaper as he rounded the corner.

"Yes, sir" I replied and rose to my feet, clutching my rib cage.

John entered through the door first and scanned the room.

"Clear" He called and I walked in after him.

Footprints stained the once clean floor and led to the air lock, damn this creature was smart.

"Shit" I hissed as blood ran into my vision and I reached to wipe it away.

"Sin?" Reaper asked and wiped the blood away from my eye with his thumb.

"I must've opened it when my head bounced off the ground." I said flatly, the cut was in the exact same spot as my scar to the side of my eyebrow.

"I doesn't look like it needs stitches" Reaper observed and pushed my chin up so he could get a better look at it.

"I told you to come back in an hour or so" I mused and received a frown from John.

"Hey, you said no deranged men. You mentioned nothing about alien life forms" I said sarcastically.

"You better get the wounds on your shoulder's looked at" He glanced at me, ignoring my comment.

"I'll live" I responded, only to receive his usual hard ass glare.

"Valkery just do it…for me" He said softly and glanced down into my bluish green eyes.

"Damn it's fast!" Sarge walked into the room and Reaper immediately let go of my chin.

"Did you get it?" Kid appeared in the doorway next to me and I shot him in the face.

"Shit, Kid" I hissed and lowered my weapon. Portman and Destroyer appeared in the doorway a few seconds after the Kid.

Sarge shook his head and glanced in my direction.

"What happened to you?" Portman asked with a hint of amusement.

"I ran into your biological mother" I hissed and he simply scoffed.

"All round defence men!" Sarge ordered and we circled up.

"Pinky." Sarge called into his mic.

_Yes Sarge? _Pinky answered.

"Anything gets through that door, use an ST grenade! It can not get back to Earth!_" _Sarge ordered. If that thing got loose on earth, it would be the end of the human race.

"No, if he pops an ST in there he's going to blow the Ark!" Portman cried, at this point I don't think any of us thought we would make it back to the Ark.

"Reaper, Kid drop Sin off at the infirmary then sweep the floors, go" Sarge ordered.

"Wha…"

"Let's go Sin" Reaper basically dragged me by my arm.


	11. The Raging Storm

_**The Raging Storm**_

We walked quietly toward the infirmary, I was beyond pissed. I took the front and lit up the dark corridors. Kid stayed close behind and John covered the back. My head had stopped bleeding and my shoulders burnt less than my rib cage did. I know Reaper had some influence on Sarge's decision and it pissed me off. I knew my limit and I wouldn't push it.

I punched in the code for the infirmary door and gave one last look to Kid before entering.

"What the fuck is that?!" I questioned at the creature stuck between the nanowall . I thought it was dead until it started to move.

"Sin!" Sam and Duke exclaimed in unison and rushed toward me.

"What happened?!" She asked as she looked over my face and arms.

"Nice to see you too Sam" I replied with a smirk.

"Here, sit down" Sam rushed me toward a gurney. I sat on it with my legs dangling off the side and placed my rifle next to me.

I unzipped my vest and slowly pulled it over my shoulders with a growl of pain. I looked down to my long sleeved thermal shirt and to Duke.

"Turn around, Duke" Sam ordered and I smirked.

I hesitantly removed my shirt, luckily I was wearing a black training bra underneath.

"Shit" Sam hissed when she saw the marks on my arms.

"What?...it didn't fuck up my tattoos did it?" I asked in fear of the hours of art work on my arms having slash marks through them.

"No…I can't stitch these..." Sam replied and reached for a small blue box.

"Damn…Duke can you hand me the black medical box underneath the centre console" Sam asked Duke and he quickly got to his feet.

"Argh" I hissed as she wiped antiseptic over the cut on my head.

"Sorry" She apologised and focused back on my shoulders.

Duke walked back with his eyes closed and smacked into a table.

"You can open your eyes, Duke" I said in amusement.

"Here you go Doctor" Duke chided and handed the box to Samantha.

"Thank you" She replied and flipped the latch on in before rifling through the contents.

I watched her rip open a packet of quick clot and waited for the pain to come.

"So, what happened baby girl?" Duke asked, trying to take my mind off the pain through conversation.

"I got attacked by…" I closed my eyes and clenched my jaw in pain from the stinging sensation "By one of those things" I said through clenched teeth and pointed to the creature in the nanowall.

"Almost done" Sam said calmly and put circular band aids over the peanut sized holes in my arms.

"Let me take a look at the stitches on your stomach" Sam said calmly as she finished patching my arms up.

I laid back on the gurney and Sam ripped off the massive band aid looking bandage that was stuck to my skin.

"Yep, he didn't tie it off properly" I assumed she was referring to John.

I felt her tug at one of the sutures and twist it around. The stitches itched like crazy but I didn't dare to scratch them because of the pain they caused when I even brushed them with my hand. Sam placed a new bandage over my stitches and turned back to the black box.

"All done" She said proudly and closed the lid of the box.

"Wait until the antiseptic kicks in before you put your dirty shirt back on" Sam added, I nodded and sat up slowly.

I noticed Duke was staring at my tattoos. I had 'Pray for War' tattooed just below my neck, lyrics on both my biceps, A skull on my left arm, 'Sinister' across my knuckles,A crow perched on a bed of red roses with the moon light in the background with the words "Buildings burn, people die, but real love lasts forever" worked into it that started from the top of my shoulder to my elbow and I had massive angel wings that started on my shoulder blades and took up my whole back.

"Damn girl, that looked like it hurt" Duke pointed to the crow piece and I smirked.

"Nah, once you get shot a few times nothing really hurts that bad anymore" I replied and glanced around the room until my eyes met a circular spatter of blood stuck to the glass that divided the room.

"Who's blood is that?" I asked and jumped off the gurney.

"Goats…" Duke replied.

"Eric is dead" I said firmly.

"He knew he was turning and he killed himself" Sam clarified. It all made sense now.

"The missing scientists didn't get devoured by…the creatures, they…are the creatures?" I said slowly. I wasn't even sure if I believed it.

"Who's in the nanowall?" I asked cautiously.

"Doctor Carmack" Sam replied.

"Doctor Carmack!?...I didn't sign up for this shit!" I clenched my jaw and balled my hand into a tight fist.

I walked toward the reinforced glass divider and looked down to see Eric's half turned body lying on the ground with blood dripping from the self-inflicted head wound.

"God save us all" I murmured and walked back to Sam and Duke.

"Is it reversible?" I cleared my throat and held back the tears of frustration that threatened to spill.

"I would have to do more research into it but it may be" Sam replied, she looked scared by my need to hit something stature.

"What the hell did you get yourself into Sam?" I asked in frustration and picked up my rifle.

I pulled out the mag and roughly counted the 20 odd bullets I had left. I still had another mag, which held thirty and my two hand guns added another eighteen.

I prayed I wouldn't need to use the rest.

"Sixty eight" I murmured and loaded my original mag back into my rifle. It was Afghanistan all over again.

I snapped my head to the sound of the door opening and turned to see Sarge with Destroyer's body over his shoulders, followed by Reaper who dragged Portman's lifeless corps into the infirmary.

"Destroyer?" Duke asked weakly. His tone of voice broke my heart as he rushed to his best friend and brother.

"And Portman." Reaper replied but no one really cared.

"What the fuck happened, man?" Duke asked. He ran to Sarge's side and slowly pulled Destroyer off. "I got him. I got him!"

"Shit" I cursed and walked next to John.

"Here" I pulled Destroyer's chain gun off Reaper's shoulder and placed the heavy bastard on the gurney next to my things.

"Thanks" I heard him reply softly.

I watched as Sarge looked at the nanowall and to the glass. "What the hell is this? And who's goddamn blood is on that window!?"

"Goat's." Sam answered hesitantly. "He killed himself."

"What do you mean he killed himself? He was already dead?" Sarge asked in frustration.

"It's true. It was Goat." Duke said weakly. "He was changing into one of these motherfuckers and he killed himself!"

"We found two more dead scientists at the dig. Thurman and a balding guy with glasses." Reaper informed us as he bent down and ripped off Portman's tags.

"Doctor Clay." Sam replied and bent down to examine Portman's neck.

"Did you check their necks?" She asked and looked to Reaper. "Was there open wounds on their necks?"

"We were conducting a firefight not an autopsy." Reaper answered bluntly.

Sam knelt next to Duke and checked Destroyer's neck.

"We came up to find six scientists. Four are known dead, and Doctor Willits is probably KIA somewhere down in that sewer." Sarge explained. "The only one missing is Doctor Carmack. Has Doctor Carmack showed up yet?"

"Oh he's shown up alright." Duke commented.

Sam stood. "Look at the left ear."

Sarge angrily walked over to the still writhing creature in the wall and looked at the wound on the side of its head where an ear should've been.

"Son of a bitch." He murmured and turned back toward Sam.

"And this other ones Steve Willits. I'm going to run the DNA, check against his med records.

"What the hell were you people working on up here?!" Sarge yelled.

We're analysing bones, artefacts; we're not doing anything like this." Sam defended herself.

"It must be a genetic mutation, something environmental or viral." Sam answered calmly.

"I don't know. It may even be reversible." Sam added.

"It's irreversible." Sarge said with that same look in his eye. I slowly reached for my desert eagle and pulled it from its holster.

"Not necessarily." Sam replied.

"Dr Carmack's condition... is irreversible" Sarge pulled out his hand gun and walked next to Doctor Carmack.

"Don't do it" I murmured to myself and caught John's attention.

I walked forward with my desert eagle in my hand as Sarge put the gun in the creature's mouth but Reaper held me back by gripping onto my forearm,

"No!" Sam and I yelled in unison as he pulled the trigger and blood painted the nanowall.

"Because Carmack's condition is that he's dead." Sarge said cruelly.

"Fuck!" I hissed and glared back to John.

"I told you something was wrong with him" I half whispered.

"Just…watch yourself" Reaper replied hesitantly and let go of my arm. I knew he saw it too.

I put my desert eagle back in its holster and walked back to the gurney.

Kid, you and Duke get back to the dig and you make sure those dead scientists, are really dead." Sarge ordered to the frightened Kid.

"I have lost four soldiers. What were you people experimenting with up here?" Sarge towered over Sam.

I quickly slipped my thermal shirt back on, zipped up my vest and grabbed my rifle before standing next to Sam.

"I'm not going to ask you again." Sarge warned. I didn't like the way he looked toward Sam like she was nothing. My finger tapped the side of my trigger as he stalked toward Sam

"I told you, it's an archaeological research centre." Sam said softly.

"You think I'm lying to you is that it?" Sam asked. "Think I'm hiding something? I'm telling the truth." Hell I knew she was hiding something but Sarge was going the wrong way to finding it out.

"What were you downloading?" Reaper asked, catching our attention. "What were you sent to protect?" Sam's expression filled with betrayal and hurt. I didn't blame her that was a dick move on his part. I met his gaze with a pissed off expression.

"The research data!" She pleaded.

"Research into what?" John continued.

Sam turned to one of the consoles and pulled out a neon green disk from her pocket.

We gathered around the screen as Carmack's face popped up. He was injecting a man with something as a narration played over top.

"_Subject was injected with study agent at 00:03."_ The narrator explained. The man tried to wiggle away from the injection but he was tied down.

_Vitals normal, elevated heart rate attributable to subject anxiety._" The man writhed violently against his restraints.

_C 24 successfully grated to marker cells at 00.09."_

"You reconstructed chromosome mutation in a human subject." Reaper stated bluntly.

"We were never going to do human studies." Sam explained.

"What the hell are we looking at?" Sarge asked. The man looked in so much pain, I pitied him.

"Genesis, chapter 1." Reaper sighed.

_Subject moved to protected observation area at 00:17. Subject: Curtis Stahl. Crime: Multiple murder. Status: Condemned to execution._"

I watched as Curtis' chest rose and his back arched upward. He let out a monstrous scream and he began to mutate.

Sam looked around the table until her eyes caught a rack of test tubes and she moved past Reaper.

"Chromosome 24!" Sam stated.

Oh my god." Reaper murmured.

"_Forty-nine minutes after injection, genetic mutations began to visually manifest on subjects extremities." _

I couldn't watch it anymore so I turned away. What the fuck did these scientists think they were doing?!

Reaper stopped the disk and shook his head in disbelief.

"This is what you're here to protect." Reaper sighed and walked away.

"It doesn't make any sense." Sam said in disbelief.

"You trusted them, they lied to you." Reaper replied, making eye contact with Sam.

"They used you Sam." He added softly.

"If he perfected xenogenesis-"

"Don't even go there Sam" I replied and looked up at her.

Christ. Don't you get it?" Reaper asked and turned to his sister "It's this place, it's Hell. It always was..."

"This shit ends here." I handed John the disks next to me and followed after him.

"What are you doing?" Sarge asked.

"We need to destroy these disks." Reaper explained.

"That's UAC property." Sarge stated.

"Fuck UAC, we take these back they're just -"

"We take the data back." Sarge grabbed John's wrist and forced the disks out of his hands.

"Did you not see what happened up here?...Imagine if they tried that shit on Earth" I explained.

"I've lost four men, Sinister. Do not test me" He replied firmly and glanced in my direction.

"Sarge do you not see what's going on here?" Reaper asked in disbelief.

"I didn't see shit. And I ain't paid to see shit. I have my orders and so do you." Sarge replied.

"Is this everything?" He turned to Sam.

"I..." Sam stuttered.

"I said, is this everything?"

"I…have three more to download." Sam stumbled on her words.

"Then do it!" Sarge growled.

"_Sarge we got a problem, one of the dead scientists is missing._" Kid's voice echoed in my ear.


	12. A day to be alone

_**A day to be alone**_

"You just want to leave her here?" Reaper asked in disbelief and motioned to Sam who scrolled through files and dragged them to the disks. Sarge looked to me, I would stay with Sam but he had a different use for me by the look in his dark eyes.

"I'll stay" I responded.

"She's got a job to do, so do you commander" Sarge said with an annoyed tone. Commander? He never acknowledged my rank let alone called me by it.

Reaper reached across the table and picked up something.

"Look, this is Portman's comm, you call if you need help ok?" He handed her the headset and she hesitantly took it. This place was getting to her you could see it in her eyes.

"You going to be alright?" John asked softly, I knew he didn't want to leave her alone. Sam put on the strongest smile she could muster and stood tall.

"I'll be fine." She said firmly and glanced to me.

"Damn straight" I commented and pulled my glock from my holster that was strapped to my hip.

"Do you know how to use a hand gun?" I asked, I highly doubted that she did but you never know, she was related to John after all.

She shook her head and looked at me with wide eyes. I cocked the gun and flicked on the safety.

"Flick this switch, on the left the one on the right will eject the clip. Remember, Left." I motioned to the safety switch and I saw her mouth 'left'.

"It's loaded, just flick the switch and pull the trigger. You have nine bullets, make em count." I explained and looked over to the glass divider. Eric still had my light attachment for my glock.

I walked behind the divider and knelt over Eric's mutated body. I hesitantly reached into his leg pocket and pulled out the small light. I lingered a bit longer than I usually would, I just expected him to walk in the room with his usual cocky grin and can do attitude. The blood pool on the ground informed me otherwise. He didn't deserve what happened to him…but then again who does? Blood covered his forehead from where he'd crushed his own skull from ramming head first into the divider. He left me here alone but I was one to talk, I left him for three years and for what? I thought I could protect him from the same fate as Brian but I was wrong.

"Shit" I hissed as tears filled my eyes and I quickly shook them away. I would mourn later, avenge now.

"Sin?" Reaper asked with a raised eyebrow and soft tone, he leant against doorway into the small section of infirmary. I ignored his question and got to my feet with a stern expression.

"Let's move" I said firmly and strode past him.

"Are you sure you're ready?" Reaper grabbed my arm, careful not to touch my shoulder and pulled me back to face him.

"If we wait until we're ready, we'll be waiting our entire lives" I spoke with wisdom…not really it was a quote Brian used to say whenever I'd try to get out of something. John smirked and looked down to my ribcage.

"Your stitches holding together?" He asked softly.

"As well as they are going to" I replied and glanced into his eyes.

"Good, and your other various life threatening wounds?" He asked sarcastically.

"Killing me" I replied sarcastically and he raised his eyebrow.

"You have an accent" He stated flatly.

"I do" I replied. I had moved from Australia when I was sixteen and still had a slight accent that was audible when I was yelling or joking around though I managed to hide it under my American accent. I didn't need marines asking me if I rode Kangaroo's to school or had a pet wombat. I tried explaining it to them that those are wild animals but they just didn't understand so I covered my accent altogether.

"Australian?" John asked and I nodded slowly. I didn't understand why he was so interested in my slight accent until I saw his hand move closer to my ribcage but I was too late to stop him from putting pressure on my wound.

"You done?!" I spat through clenched teeth. Fuck it hurt when he did that.

"It seems to be the only way to see if you're bleeding to death, so no" He replied with anger.

"You want to see if I'm bleeding to death? Just ask, John!" I spat. I unzipped my vest in fury and looked down at the light in my hand.

"Hold that thought" I said firmly and walked over to Sam.

"It's not as powerful as ours, but it'll do the job" I spoke firmly and slammed the light in its place on the glock with my palm. I was angry not only at myself for showing weakness but for not being able to protect Eric. Sam jumped slightly at the violent action and hesitantly took back the weapon as I handed it to her.

"Let's hope you won't have to use it" I said and looked up to Sam, she was scared but holding together well.

I turned and walked back to John while taking my vest off, I threw it to the ground near John's feet.

"What are you doing?" John asked simply.

"Proving a point...See, no blood" I said firmly, though he wouldn't be able to tell by my long sleeved shirt. Truth be told, I didn't know if I were bleeding to death. I didn't have time to bleed at the moment.

"Lift up your shirt" He said hesitantly and walked over to me.

"Hey, at least buy me dinner first" I joked but he was in one of his moods and just looked at me expectantly.

"Fine" I said and pulled my thermal shirt over my head. I just knew he'd want to inspect the wounds on my shoulders. I threw my shirt on the ground next to my vest and looked back to John.

"See? I am battered and bruised but I sure ain't bleeding to death" I hissed. God I hoped I was right or that might've been embarrassing. Luckily none of my stitches had opened. John's gaze never left mine as I made my point.

"Just, stay still" Reaper said in annoyance and slowly ripped off the bandage that was stuck across the right side of my ribcage. He lightly touched around the bruising on the left side of my ribcage and glanced over the bandages on my shoulders. I was sure I had at least two broken ribs on my left side now, just from the purple bruising.

I looked like a human pin cushion with stitches on my face, stomach and shoulders. The bruising around the wounds was the worst but it would heal. My hair was a mess in its high pony tail and there was dirt smudges on my cargo pants. I had to wear a belt on my cargo pants just to keep them from falling down.

I had always been musclier than skinny, my two years as a cage fighter had made me leaner but I still retained and built up my muscles. I wasn't ripped but I was getting there.

Lastly John checked the stiches on my cheek and the cut in my eyebrow. It probably needed stitches too but not as much as my other wounds.

"Any dizziness?" He asked flatly and touched around the cut in my eyebrow.

"No,you satisfied?" I asked bitterly to Reaper and he simply glared at me with an annoyed look. He knew I'd won.

"Sinister put your goddamn clothes back on" Sarge ordered. I smirked and reached down for my thermal shirt. Only Sarge could make me sound like a hooker when I was simply proving a point.

"That was the plan" I replied with a smart ass smirk and hid the groan of pain as I bent down. Sarge shook his head and turned to Reaper.

"Move out" Sarge ordered.I pulled my shirt back on and picked up my vest.

Ok, we'll see you soon." Reaper said to Sam and walked after Sarge. I painfully pulled my vest over my shoulders and zipped up the front before shouldering my rifle and following after them.

"Be careful" I said softly to Sam and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"You too" She responded and I smirked before jogging after Sarge and Reaper.


	13. My Sacrifice

**_My Sacrifice_**

I glanced over to Sarge every couple of seconds as we walked from the infirmary. He was aggressive and twitching like a rabid dog. I've known my fair share of angry men but this was something else…this was like the look you'd receive from a serial killer or a psychopath just before they murdered you. Just the thought of Sarge turning on us kept me on my toes

I was prepared to put him down if he snapped but I wouldn't put the remaining team or Sam in the firing line. I kept my light on Sarge's back, he took the front and Reaper took the rear.

"Pinky you there? Pinky?!" Sarge yelled and broke me from my thoughts, I raised my weapon toward him a fraction of an inch out of instinct. He didn't seem to notice but Reaper did, I knew he did because he reacted the same way.

"_Sarge something is coming through the Ark door." _Pinky sounded like he was about to cry, I could hear a humming of some sort in the background that sounded like a…chainsaw? I glanced to John then back to Sarge.

"You got a visual?" Sarge asked as we hauled ass toward the Ark door.

"_Oh I got a visual alright._" Pinky responded in fear..

Shit! We couldn't let that thing infect more people, we couldn't let it get back to earth by any means. Our fate was in Pinky's hands at the moment, I just prayed he had the courage to blow the Ark.

"Don't let it get to the Ark!"

"Sin, move ahead!" Sarge ordered, I was the fastest out of the two hulking men and I was smaller. I could react fast…I was trained by the best. I sprinted in front and kept my gun raised just in case the creature made the mistake of crossing paths with me. My legs ached with exhaustion but I powered on and rounded a corner and jumped down a small flight of stairs. I rolled and got to my feet instantaneously, in seconds I was back into action and feeling more determined than ever.

I was at least twenty metres in front as I bounded around the corner and into the lobby.

"Pinky! Use the grenade! Use the god damn grenade!" I heard over the sound of my pounding feet. I sprinted past Duke and Kid toward the Ark room. Pinky was nowhere to be seen, he must've run or rolled either way…

I could hear the robotic female voice echoing through the room about the Ark going live. I reached the room and saw the creature just as it was enveloped by the ball of liquid. Shit… I couldn't blow the Ark and leave Sam, John, Duke and Kid deserted on this hell with Sarge. At this moment I wished I had my old m40 sniper rifle, it was equipped with the latest military soft ware including infrared, night vision and target lock. I was better behind the trigger of a sniper than I ever could be behind an assault rifle. I set a record of the longest range 'kill shot' on that baby from 1.75 miles away. It would be useful in this hell.

But life is a bitch, i'd have to suck it up and do the best with what I had. Which evidently wasn't working so well for me so far.

"Sarge, I'm going after it" I hesitantly called into my mic. I knew if I survived Sarge would chew my ass for not blowing the Ark but it was worth the risk to see the rest of the team get out alive.

Fuck…me. I bolted toward the liquid and dove just as the voice counted down two seconds. If all went to plan i'd kill the creature and we'd blow the Mars facility to hell...but nothing ever works out the way we expect it to.

"Sin, you use that fucking grenade!" Sarge ordered.

"Valkery!" I heard John call after me just as I was sucked into the liquid ball and lost meaning of time and space.


	14. My Immortal

**_My Immortal_**

_In my dreams it's me and you,_

_It's there I saw it all come true..._

**_"_**Valkery!" I opened my eyes and gasped. Brian was knelt over me, but where was I?

I looked down and saw a white…hospital gown? Brian was wearing his old worn out leather jacket with blue jeans that drove the women mad. I was so disorientated I just stared at him in disbelief.

"Brian" I said softly and pulled him into a tight hug. I glanced over his shoulder and saw a familiar painting. I was in the medical ward at our old base.

"What happened?" I asked wearily and looked into his ocean blue eyes.

"You got stabbed in action" He clarified. Holy shit…five years ago I got stabbed in the shoulder by a weapons dealer. That son of a bitch got his though, I shot him in the leg with his own gun. Why did I come back to this point in time?

"You're dead" I said grimly and came down from the high of seeing Brian, knowing I would only see him in my dreams was the worst torture possible. It was a cruel realisation that the person you turned to wasn't there anymore.

"I am" He said in his usual husky voice and looked at me with a sad expression.

"Wha...how…Why am I seeing you?" I asked in total confusion. I had dreams about him but this one felt so surreal.

"Because I need you to fight Valkery, You are strong. Stronger than you think." Brian smirked and cradled the side of my face with his hand.

"How do you fight an enemy that is genetically superior?" I asked or more so hissed. I was trying damn hard but every time I fell short. That reminded me… I really had to get back to my team.

"With all you have" Brian grabbed my shoulders and forced me to look into his eyes that I'd missed so much.

"Only you can save yourself" He spoke firmly and I looked at him with confusion.

"Why are you telling me this?" I asked softly.

"Because your team needs you" He replied firmly.

"My team died with Eric and by the looks of it this team isn't going to fare any better" I retorted.

"They need a leader, someone to give them strength and hope. They need Commander Valkery Syn, not Sinister the soldier." Brian said and wiped a strand of hair from my face.

"There is no hope!" I barked.

"Where there is hope, there is faith, where there is faith, miracles happen" I turned to see Eric stroll into the small ward and walk up next to Brian. I reached up and enveloped him in a tight hug. He was dressed similarly to Brian and had his usual spiky hair. I smiled at the fact he wasn't bloodied or in pain, he was at peace.

"Where there is love there is hope" Brian spoke up.

"Where is the love?!" I hissed and turned to Eric. I loved these two like brothers but I was getting frustrated at their cryptic sentences and riddles.

"You'll see in time" Eric clarified and gave me his signature smirk.

"Now, on your feet soldier!" Brian commanded and pulled me into one last hug before walking out of the room with Eric.

"Brian!" I called and looked up to see him suddenly at the exit of the ward with Eric by his side.

He looked back to me but kept walking. I jumped out of the small bed and ran after them. I rounded the corner and followed after the pair that seemed to be moving at double speed. My feet padded against the white linoleum floor and echoed in the crisp white corridor.

"Eric!" I yelled desperately as they both seemed to disappear behind the two large doors that suddenly appeared.

"Brian!" I tried again but they were gone. I slowed my pace as I reached the thick silver doors and pushed through them.

I was blinded by a bright orange glow and I held my arm up to shield my face.

Suddenly I was no longer in a hospital gown or had short black and purple hair. I looked the way I do now, waist length bluish black hair, wearing a black ripped tank and my RRTS pants with my combat boots. I looked down and saw myself holding on to a machine gun and a sniper around my shoulder. I had blood dried on my face and arms, I looked like I was in war.

My eyes widened as I stared at the street in front of me. Cars were flipped onto their roofs and on fire, buildings shattered and the population had vanished.

"What the-" I started to say just as a person stumbled out of a car wreck.

"Sir?" I asked and hesitantly approached him. He was bloodied and seemed disorientated as he staggered away from the wreck.

The man looked up with pleading eyes and whispered. "Run" before screaming in agony.

I watched as he transformed in front of me, his body looked like it was having a seizure but his agonised face told me otherwise. In a matter of seconds the man no longer looked at me as a person but his prey.

"Sir, don't do it" I said firmly and backed away.

The infected man snarled and leapt at me. I swiftly pressed the trigger of my machine gun and the half transformed man flew back onto the tarmac road.

"Fuck" I hissed and glanced around my surroundings. This was the end, the apocalypse that ended humanity. This is what would become of earth if we couldn't contain the virus.

"Chromosome 24 cannot get back to earth, Valkery" Brian said softly as he appeared next to me.

"I know" I said and glance to him.

"I'll find a way to destroy any evidence of it" I sighed and looked toward the sky that was red with blood shed.

"I know you will" Brian said softly and stepped in front of me, his hands cradled the side of my face and he force me to look into his eyes.

"I love you" He said softly. Something about him had changed, it was almost like it wasn't him at all.

"Brian-" I was cut off as he placed a soft kiss on my lips.

I closed my eyes as the kiss became more pained and felt something dig into my skin.

"Brian" I broke the kiss and felt the side of my face where blood dripped down from his nails digging into my skin.

"Oh, shit" I hissed and jumped back with disbelief. It wasn't his nails it was his claws…

His eyes were glazed and blood painted the side of his face. He was infected.

"No, Brian!" I yelled desperately as tears threatened to spill out of my eyes.

I stood frozen as he launched toward me and knocked me to the ground. My head bounced off the tarmac and the wind was knocked out of my lungs.

"Brian" I whispered as he raised his mutated hand and brought it down toward my chest.

I took one last look toward the sky before his claw pierced my skin and blood spilled from my chest. My head lolled to the side before the world turned black.


	15. I will not bow

**I will not bow**

I landed heavily on my knees and swiftly raised my weapon. At least I was on Earth. I felt different, more alert and driven. I guess vivid dreams about the inevitable apocalypse did that to you. I still couldn't comprehend the nightmare, it seemed so real, it felt so real... The creature was in front of me with a chainsaw in hand, it mauled through the bodies of scientists and strew their body parts around the room. It hadn't seen me yet and I didn't plan for it to see me…just yet. My rifle still had another mag and I had my desert eagle but they weren't the weapons I planned to use on this creature. I eyed off the creature and let out a shrill whistle.

"Over here" I said with venom and took off toward the main desk. The creature hissed and let out a low growl before chasing after me. Shit… I hauled ass toward the desk and quickly dove over, I rolled on my back and swiftly grabbed the weapon I required. A gas cylinder. The creature slashed the chainsaw at me but I rolled out of the firing line and ran from behind the desk.

"Catch!" I yelled and hurled the gas cylinder at the creature. The thing caught the cylinder on the end of the chainsaw. I sprinted a few metres back and aimed at the cylinder. As soon as my finger hit the trigger I dove to the side. The cylinder sent the creature flying back and covered its body in scorch marks with burnt flesh. The monster hissed in pain at its burnt face and let out a rumbling growl before scurrying off into one of the corridors.

Fuck! That fucking thing should've been barbequed.

I leapt to my feet and ran after the monster. Shit it moved fast down the halls. My rib cage throbbed in pain but I couldn't stop…not now. I ducked under a low hanging pipe and climbed through the gap between a staircase and the ground. I landed heavily on the metal grate below and flicked on my light. I stopped suddenly at the sound of quietened voices.

Shit… there are people alive down hear. I followed the whimpering voices and was led to a closed door. I looked left and right before opening the door and aiming my light into the room.

"Fuck" I muttered as I was met by the blank stares of dozens of people, women, children and men.

"If any of you have wounds on your necks, step forward" I commanded and looked over to the scared children. I couldn't let this infection spread to Earth even if that meant killing...children. No one stepped forward and I let out a sigh of relief.

"Please, help us" A woman with short black hair stepped forward.

They looked so frightened and they should've been…

"Sin?" I aimed my weapon and motioned for the people to stay silent as I quietly shut the door behind me. I stepped out into the corridor and was met by the blank stare of the Kid.

"Kid, what the hell are you doing down here?!" I hissed and lowered my weapon.

"We lost radio contact with you, we thought the creature got you" Kid explained.

"So you came looking for me?" I asked in disbelief. They should've left me behind and blown this place to smithereens if they thought I was dead.

"No…Sarge ordered us to kill anything that moves" Kid said softly.

"Not everyone is infected" I said firmly and balled my fist. That asshole was going to murder these people. My head snapped up at the sound of close by gunshots.

"Sarge" I called into my mic.

"Kid, stay with these people, they're uninfected. Do not open that door for anyone but me. Do you understand?" I said firmly and gripped his shoulders.

"Yes ma'am" He said, still trying to comprehend what I'd told him.

"You're going to make a damn good soldier, Mark" I commented before sprinting down the corridor. I still couldn't shake the nightmare from my mind.

"Lo..do not kill every.. I repeat, do not ki.. everybody. ...won't all be infected." Reaper's voice crackled in my ear.

"Do y.. copy?" John called to Sarge I assumed.

"Sarge" I called into my mic. Shit…my communications must be down.

The gunfire was close now, it sounded like it was coming from the corridor on my right. I glanced around the corner to where Sarge was executing people, corridor by corridor.

"Copy that" Sarge confirmed and moved onto his next victim.

"You bastard" I whispered to myself and turned off the light on my rifle before walking into the corridor.

I aimed my weapon, I had a clean headshot until he turned around and walked back the way he came. What is he doing?

"Sin?" Kid called from behind me and I slowly turned to face him.

"What's up, Kid?" I said softly.

"Sarge ordered me to sweep the entire area" He explained.

"What do you plan to do?" I asked quietly.

"Let's get them out of here" He replied.

"You make me proud Kid" I commented as we moved back to the room filled with the uninfected.

"We should think about giving you a new nickname" I added distractedly as I shined my light down the corridor behind me.

"Something fitting"

"Agreed" Kid commented as I saw something move. It was too fast to be human.

"On me" I called to him and ran after the creature.

I was surprised he kept up with me as well as he did, other people would normally be left in the dust by now.

I kept my light fixed on the legs of the creature as we rounded a corner. The monster jumped forward and must've gone into the ceiling.

"Fuck, its gone" I stated and turned to Kid.

"It's playing us" Kid observed and I gave him a proud smirk.

"You're a good hunter." I responded and shined my light onto the ceiling.

"That's it" I said distractedly.

"What's it?" Kid asked in confusion.

"Your new nickname" I replied and moved forward.

"On you" Kid called and took point behind me.

"Move out…hunter" I said with a smirk as my light caught the creature.

"Contact!" I called and took off after the monster once more.

I knew this creature was toying with us but where was it leading us?

I rounded a corner and followed straight after the monster with Kid close behind.

The creature moved out of my beam of light and powered ahead.

"Shit," I muttered while breathing heavily. I held out my arm and stopped Kid from going any further.

"Do you hear that?" I asked and we both stayed silent for a second.

"Voices" Kid answered.

_"__I __say who's clean and who's not" _I recognised Sarge's voice.

"Kid move ahead" I ordered and we both rounded the corner.

I shined my light behind me and looked in every direction just in case the monster decides to try a sneak attack.

"Sarge!" I heard Kid call. Fuck, don't do anything stupid Kid.

"There's a storage room to the south. It's got like twenty people holed up inside there. We gotta do something." I exhaustedly ran into the Ark chamber after Kid to get him to stop talking.

I entered the lit room that was scattered with bodies and glared to Sarge.

"Valkery?" Reaper asked in disbelief but I had my sights set on Sarge.

"Sin, we thought you were dead soldier" Sarge acknowledged the fact I was still standing. Me being dead would be very convenient for him and I wouldn't give him that.

"Oh, I'm not going anywhere" I replied in a firm tone and walked next to the Kid. Sam and Duke stood to the side of me and Reaper on the other. The hostility was clear in my tone and I knew they noticed it by their looks of 'What the fuck are you doing?'. John's being most evident. He knew their was a plan brewing in my mind.

"Your orders were to clear that sector. Is it clear?" Sarge asked with raised eyebrows and turned back to the kid.

Kid shook his head. "No, I told them to stay put. They're okay, they're just scared".

"We kill 'em all." Sarge said. "Let God sort 'em out." In this moment I knew I had to stop him or no one else would.

"You're not going anywhere, Asher!" I said with hesitation and aimed my weapon at his chest.


	16. He who makes a beast of himself

**_He who makes a beast of himself, gets rid of the pain of being a man._**

I saw Duke push Sam behind him and he raised his weapon slightly but not in a particular direction. I knew going up against Ash was a big mistake but I wouldn't let him get away with murder.

"You lower your fucking weapon, soldier!" Sarge ordered. I didn't move and inch.

"You are not my Sargent" I spat with venom.

"Sin, put the gun down" John said calmly. God, even after all we'd been through John still wanted to save this man!?

"That's not going to happen, John." I spat and kept my aim true toward Sarge. I was battling with myself but I wouldn't let it show.

"You should listen to him, Sin." Sarge taunted and walked toward me.

"You should shut the fuck up" I hissed and pulled the trigger of my rifle. I aimed at the ground and the bullet just missed his foot.

"Jesus Christ!" Sam cried.

Sarge glared at me with wide eyes and stopped.

"What is your plan Sinister? Mutinous insurrection? You're outnumbered, Soldier" Sarge hissed as if this were a joke. I watched as his hand crept lower toward the holster of his hand gun.

"I know that my Arx-160 has a frequency of 700 rounds per minute and the hand gun you are trying to reach for...100 RPM's at most. So don't even try, Asher" I said calmly.

"As for being outnumbered, I've had worse odds. Though you'd be surprised at my alliances." I hissed and looked to Kid then to Reaper and back to Duke. I didn't want drag them into this but I needed to know they'd back me up if worse came to worse. Duke nodded to me and Kid stood proudly next to me. It was John's reaction that worried me, he hinted nothing aside from his usual expression of 'What the fuck are you thinking, Sin?!'

"You with me, John?" I asked hesitantly, keeping my gaze on Sarge.

I saw John move toward me out of the corner of my eye and I unsheathed my desert eagle.

"Don't do it, John" I said calmly and pointed my weapon to him. I looked toward him on my right, he clenched his jaw and stopped. Something about his expression seemed different from his usual pissed off look, he looked hurt almost.

"This is wrong." Kid muttered. "I think-"

"Son! You don't think!" Sarge snapped. "We're in the field soldier!"

"Sarge if nothing's found them-" Reaper started to reason with him.

"You will obey the order, of your Commanding Officer." Sarge ordered. I could see Kid was torn between what to do.

"Make the right choice, Hunter" I commented and glared in hatred to Sarge.

"No." Kid stated, I smirked and looked back to Sarge. I was so focused on the kid I didn't notice John creeping toward me.

"Don't do it, John!" I spat as I saw him reach for my gun. I lifted the weapon and cocked it, John backed off immediately but it was enough of a distraction for Sarge to reach for his gun and charge forward. I clenched my jaw at the feel of his gun against the back of my head.

I took a deep breath and glared to John. He knew what Sarge could do but he still tried to defend him.

"Oh, how the tables have turned" I commented with sarcasm and John glanced to me with regret. Everyone gasped and stiffened, he was going to make a show out of me. Do what I say or die.

"Drop the weapons!" Sarge ordered and spun me around to face him. He was deranged, his eyes were wide with anger.

I sighed and dropped my rifle and handgun to the ground, I kept eye contact at all times just in case he tried something.

"Valkery fucking Syn you've been nothing but a pain in my ass in the amount of time I've known you! And now you try this shit?!" Sarge basically spat in my face.

"Well…I try" I smirked and received a blow to the face with the butt of his rifle. I fell elbows first onto the ground and blinked to calm my spinning mind.

"Sin!" Reaper rushed next to me and stopped as Sarge cocked his gun toward him.

"Are you with me, John?" I asked firmly and he looked at me with confusion. Spitting the blood from my split lip onto the ground I turned back in anger and reached for my rifle until I felt the familiar barrel of his gun against my skull. I could feel my eyebrow dripping blood and a huge bruise forming under the welting pain on my cheek. Luckily my stitches were on the other side.

"Now!" Sarge ordered to Kid.

"Don't do it, Hunter!" I spat and Sarge kicked me in the ribcage.

I repressed the scream of agony that threatened to escape my lips and clutched my aching ribs.

"Go to hell." Kid responded and in a split second Sarge removed the gun from my head and aimed it at Kid.

*Boom*

"No!" I screamed and dove for my rifle.

His blood spattered on me as I scrambled to help him. It was too late…The kid fell to the ground with a gaping hole in his neck.

My hand wrapped around the handle of my Arx-160 and I immediately aimed at Sarge.

I winced at the sound of Kid's body hitting the ground and glared at Asher with the same look he'd given me seconds ago.

"Holy shit!" Duke yelled.

John ran to the Kid's side and tried to stop the blood that was spurting from his throat and choking him to death. I backed toward the kid's body with my gun still fixed on Sarge.

"Fuck" I sighed and knelt next to the Kid's body, John was still trying desperately to stop the blood from coming even though the Kid had since passed.

"He's gone, John" I said softly and placed a hand on his shoulder while still keeping my aim on Sarge. John glanced toward me with an unreadable expression and frowned.

"You're bleeding" He stated and wiped the blood that dripped down my chin with his thumb.

"I'll live" I stated and glanced into his worried eyes with an unsure expression before standing and approaching Sarge.

"Mutinous insurrection is punishable by death" Asher commented, I stood a few metres away from him with a headshot ready.

"IT WAS HIS FIRST MISSION!" Reaper yelled in fury.

"And it's not going to be my last." Sarge replied. "I need soldiers. I don't need anybody else, but soldiers!"

"If you think you're getting out of here alive you're wrong" My voice was raw and firm from the pain in my ribcage.

"You are outgunned and out manned Sinister, what do you think you're going to achieve?" Sarge taunted to me.

"You have no men, not after what you just pulled" I hissed as Reaper and Duke mirrored my stance in a matter of seconds.

"You good, Sin?" Duke asked and I smirked.

"Yes ,Duke" I replied and Reaper gave me an apologetic look.

"I suppose you think you're the fucking Sargent" Asher all but laughed.

"No I'm the fucking Commander" I retorted and nodded to John and Duke next to me.

"Drop your weapons." I heard Pinky call from behind us and I sighed in annoyance at the sound of a gun cocking come from the same direction.


	17. Fuel

**_Fuel_**

"I mean it. I have no intention of being killed by a madman. Drop your weapons!" I turned to see a terrified Pinky holding onto the gun Mac had given him. Sure…Why not? Because this situation wasn't fucked enough.

My eyes trailed to the shadow behind him and we all took a step back. He seemed to notice our eyes moving toward the creature and he widened his own as we aimed behind him.

"Oh there's something behind me isn't there?" Pinky was answered by a low growl as the creature reached across his face and threw him like a ragdoll. I slid on my knees and leant backward to avoid being hit by a flying Pinky, I shot the creature as I slid through its legs and leapt to my feet. John on the other hand got smacked in the face with the metal wheel chair and flew across the room. This monster was only adding fuel to the fire. I fired four bullets into the creature's back as it retreated with Pinky over its shoulder.

"John, you good?" I called and looked over my shoulder to his motionless body.

"Shit! John!?" I called desperately and ran to his side.

"I'm okay" He replied with a groan and sat up.

"No you're not" I hissed and grabbed the side of his face where a deep cut was bleeding on his cheek. I glanced from the cut to his eyes and frowned. It looked like his jaw had been fractured and he had blood dripping down from the split in his lip.

"Valkery, I'm fine" He said with the best smirk he could muster and grabbed onto my hand that was on the side of his face.

"Don't lie to me, John" I mocked in his voice and wiped away the blood on his cheek with the sleeve of my shirt.

"You're one to talk" He replied in a pained tone and I smiled, even in the pain he was in he still had to have the last word.

"What?" He asked with a raised eyebrow and grabbed onto my other wrist.

"You would outlive god himself just to have the last word" I stated and smirked.

"You would outlive god himself just to annoy me" I replied, see he always had to have a reply.

"My point is proven" I stated and shook my wrists out of his grasp.

"I never answered you" John said hesitantly and looked into my eyes.

"Which time?" I asked sarcastically and he frowned at me. "Fine, what ever do you mean?" I asked with the straightest face I could pull.

"When you asked if I was with you" He clarified softly.

"On me!" Sarge ordered and charged down the corridor. Duke charged after Sarge with Sam in tow, leaving us two behind.

I glanced to Sarge then back to John with a stern expression. I didn't want to follow after that lunatic, who knew when he'd turn again? But on the other hand I couldn't let that creature reach the surface.

"Go" John sighed. I hesitantly stood and picked my desert eagle off the ground.

"Another time?" I asked.

"Another time" He confirmed with a slight nod.

I was about to charge after Sarge until I looked back to Reaper. I couldn't leave him there…he did save my life...I had to admit we'd become friends almost...Shit!

Damn...I forgot how much of a pain in the ass this Commander business was.

"On your feet Soldier" I commanded and knelt down to help him get up.

"Valker-" Reaper began and looked at me with a pissed off expression.

"John!...shut up" I said simply. I pulled his arm over my shoulder and put my arm around his waist as we stood in unison.

Reaper groaned and I looked over to him with worry but I quickly regained my usual mean expression. He looked like hell. Injuries to the body I could deal with but it was the head injuries that fucked you up. They could cause all kind of problems.

"You are either very brave or very stupid to try and wrestle a gun out of my hand" I chided with a small smirk and looked up to his bruised face.

"You are either very brave or very stupid to point a gun at Sarge." He replied. I knew it wasn't his intention to put me in harms way, he tried to do what evidently he was good at and save my reckless ass. John frowned before brushing away my fringe and wiping away the blood dripping from my eyebrow with his free hand.

"Little bit of both I think" I said. I glanced into his hazel eyes as his hand lingered on my face and moved down to the cut on the side of my bottom lip. I knew he felt guilty but his eyes glimmered with something else...

"Only a little bit?" He teased and removed his hand from my face.

"Just...don't do that again, You scared the shit out of us" He glanced up to me with sincerity.

"Which time?" I smiled and felt the cut on my lip start bleeding again.

"You're insane" He said softly and looked over the stitches on the other side of my face.

"We're all insane here" I replied and stayed still as he examined my face.I looked forward awkwardly as his gaze left my face and readied myself for his added weight.

"Why didn't you go?" John asked groggily as we moved forward.

"I couldn't leave a soldier behind…even one as annoying as you" I joked and saw a small smile form on his bloodied face. We both looked like we picked a fight with the wrong person.

"I can walk" John said firmly and lifted his arm from my shoulders.

"You sure?" I asked to make sure he wasn't just trying to be a macho man then take one step and fall on his face

"Yeah" he replied and shouldered his weapon.

"On you, soldier" I ordered and took the rear as we ran after the creature.


	18. Battleground

**_Battleground_**

I paired with Sarge as we charged down the corridor and fired at the creature. For two people who were about to shoot each other we worked together well. I suppose we shared a common discomfort about the infection and needed it gone more than each other. If there is one thing I learnt as a marine it was how to cope with malicious assholes. When it all came down every gruelling training session and instinct kicked in like a reflex.

We passed through multiple corridors after the creature but it seemed to have vanished. John and Duke stayed close behind me with Sam. We ran through the Nanowall while firing at the creature that was carrying Pinky. It took me so much to not put down Sarge there and then but at the moment we were a team. I didn't know the Kid well but he was a good soldier and when the time came I would try my best to avenge him.

"On you, Sin" Sarge knelt and peered around the corner as I jogged past and shined my light into the corridor opposite him.

"Clear" I stated and we continued to chase after the creature. I could hear Duke and Reaper not too far behind me. I was running on adrenaline and fear at the moment, it kept my thoughts away from what I'd seen in this place and screamed at me to focus. I shined my light down the corridor but the creature had vanished once again. I looked to Sarge and he motioned for me to stop. I knelt with my weapon aimed and watched the corridor with keen eyes.

John and Duke covered the back as we waited for any sign of the creature. I started to move until Sarge pulled me back.

"Listen" He said. I could hear the dragging of feet and snarls echoing in the corridor.

"What the f-" I widened my eyes as my light caught a faction of half mutated workers stumbling toward us.

"Shit!" I cursed and fell back to the previous safe point.

We fired endlessly into the swarm but they came in waves. Ever heard of cut off the head and three more shall take its place? This was exactly like that.

"Withdraw!" Sarge yelled and ran to the last point we'd deemed as safe.

I sprinted back and continued to fire at the mutants but they just kept coming back.

Sarge and I made cover fire as Duke and Reaper retreated to the next point.

"Move!" I yelled to Sarge and we jogged back to the next point while Sam opened the nanowall.

"Magazine!" Reaper yelled as he popped out his clip and put in another mag.

"Withdraw behind the nanowall!" Sarge ordered and I moved back while firing.

"Move!" I called to Sarge, He looked at me with a raised eyebrow as I stayed in my position. I was fine with being the last one to go through the nanowall.

"Sin?"

"Go!" I hissed with fury and snapped my head back toward the approaching infected workers.

He nodded and moved back toward the Nanowall.

"Sin, move!" I heard Reaper call but I continued to fire into the mob of mutants in my kneeling position.

Everyone but me was behind the wall at the moment. My heart raced with adrenaline as I fired into the mob, everywhere I looked there was more to kill. My eyes widened with disbelief when the ones I'd put down started to twitch with life once again.

"Fuck" I cursed as my gun clicked empty.

"Sinister, move!" Duke called and I retreated back. I could feel the creatures breathing and hear their snarls while I ran.

I dove through the wall to allow the others to shoot and rolled to the side. I gasped as a hand wrapped around my leg and ripped the gravity out from underneath me. My rifle slid out of my grasp as I slammed chest first into the grate flooring.

"Shit" I hissed. I turned over and kicked at the infected worker's hand but it's grip around my ankle only tightened. Shit! It was pulling me through the nanowall. My fingers gripped tightly onto the metal grate while the worker tried to drag me through the wall.

"Valkery!" John exclaimed and gripped on to the back of my vest. I grunted in pain as I became part of a human tug of war rope and reached down for my eagle while still holding onto the grate with one hand. My fingers fumbled with the latch on my holster but I managed to flick it and pull out my eagle.I shot two bullets into the half mutated worker's skull before it let go and fell motionlessly onto the floor with it's skull almost shattered in two.

John pulled me away from the wall with such force that I fell on top of him and landed with my head on his shoulder. To lessen my fall he moved his arm around my waist and placed the other diagonally across my back so his hand was cradling the back of my head. To the others it probably looked like the world's most painful hug. It would've been a touching moment if I hadn't landed on his supply of mag's he had on the front of his vest. The solid objects dug into my ribs through my vest. At this time I think having a couple of ribs removed would be less painful than this.

"Fuck" I groaned to myself, I couldn't exactly move under his death grip...

"Valkery?" John asked with worry and tilted my head upwards.

"I'm good" I lied and tried to move but his arm was still constricted around my waist.

"Valkery" He said firmly.

"Fine, your mag's are stabbing me in the ribcage" I stated with a smirk as he hesitantly removed his arm from my waist. An involuntary shiver ran up my spine as his fingertips brushed the dip of my back where my shirt had ridden up and exposed my skin. What was that about? we looked up at each other at the same time and matched each others surprised expression.

I quickly rolled off his warm body and onto the grate flooring to conceal the goose bumps that ran up my neck.

"Good" John said distractedly. I half laughed half groaned as he heartily patted the front of my vest to remove the tension and stood to join in on the fire fight. What are you doing, soldier, this ain't a picnic?! My old drill Sargent's voice ran through my mind and I reached for my rifle that was just to my left. Placing my eagle back into place I quickly joined the line we'd formed beside Reaper and started to fire.

"Magazine!" I yelled and threw my old mag to the ground to replace it with a new one.

Sarge hit the controls for the nanowall and they broke under the force of his fist.

The wall began to close but still twitched. It was weakening under the force of the mutants throwing themselves at it.

"Fuck!" Duke snapped as the wall destabilised and twitched uncontrollably.

"The wall's not closing." Reaper yelled and we continued to fire into the wall. Parts of the wall were closed but others remained open and allowed the infected to poke their limbs through it.

Sam's screams caused me to turn to her, I looked down to the source of her terror and saw Duke being dragged through the vent floor by a creature.

"Duke!" I yelled and dove for his hands. Blood poured from his mouth and the serrated edges of the vent cut into his body with every movement. I gripped onto his hands and pulled against the creature that forced him downward.

"Let me go baby girl" Duke said weakly as he was violently dragged from my grip and through the vent. I gasped as his blood splattered on my face.

"No!" I screamed and almost slipped down the vent.

"Sin!" Sam yelled and pulled me away from the vent by the back of my vest. Brother like sister I suppose.

I looked over to the wall just as a creature reached through an open section and grabbed Sarge by the ankle. I was too far away to reach him, even if I had the opportunity to save him I'm not sure I would have taken it. He should've known the price of evil.

"I'm not supposed to die." Sarge cried before being dragged through the wall.

"It's not going to hold" I stated and glanced to Reaper as he grunted.

"Let's move" He ordered and we retreated into the corridors. I held onto Sam's arm just in case she fell behind. I heard the nanowall shatter behind us and the sound of approaching mutants looking for human flesh to chew on.

_Keep moving._


	19. Don't fear the reaper

**_Don't fear the Reaper_**

We found a storage room to hold up in with thick doors but it wouldn't be enough to escape the hoard of infected that pounded on the door. I started to barricade the door with anything I could find. Sam paced the room in panic as John handed me things to place against the door.

"How long do you think we have?" I asked Reaper and he looked at me with an expression that told me 'not long'.

"What was that?" Sam asked weakly and I shared a worried look with John.

"That was the result of people messing with things that are beyond their understanding" I said simply and reached for the table that John passed me to push against the door.

"We aren't going to make it out of here are we?" She asked with tears in her eyes.

"I'll be damned if I don't try to get you both out of here alive" I stated and looked to John, he seemed more sluggish than usual.

"What about you?" Sam asked.

"What about me?" I replied and breathed out deeply.

"You said you'd get us both out not us three" She answered. I didn't think I'd get this far let alone make it out.

"We'll see" I replied and looked at the gauge on my rifle that read 10.

I still had Kid's and Duke's blood splatted on my face but it was the least of my problems right now.

I turned to John, he looked pale and started to sway on the spot.

"John?" I asked and my eyes met the bullet wound on his hip that coat his hand in crimson red.

"John, you've been hit!" Sam cried, she must've noticed too. No...this couldn't happen...not now.

"Lay him down" I ordered and rushed to his side.

"Easy" I said calmly and lowered him to the ground with his arm over my shoulder.

"Any medical supplies Doc?" I asked but I already knew the answer. John hissed in pain as we set him down on the ground and he leant his back on the wall behind us.

Sam kept pressure on the wound and I tried to keep his eyes open by talking to him.

"Hey, don't you die on me" I said softly, by the looks of it the bullet had hit an artery and he'd bleed out in minutes.

"Listen to me." John wheezed and began to shiver.

"It would be a first" I commented and glanced into his glazed eyes. I wouldn't talk to him like he was dying. It was a skill I picked up as Commander to keep critically injured men calm.

"You're cold." Sam said and pulled out a vial. "You're shivering" She added and revealed a needle.

"It's important... Sam...Valkery" John reached into his pocket and pulled out an ST grenade.

"This is an ST grenade, when they come through you pop the top and hit the button. Valkery, pop the top and hit the button, Pop the top and hit the button, pop the top and hit the…" John slurred and his eyes rolled into the back of his head.

"Don't you fucking die on me, John !" I yelled and his body jumped. He was coming in and out as Sam prepared to inject him with what could only be Chromosome 24.

"John stay with us." Sam called. "Stay awake".

I tried my best to stop the bleeding but it just kept coming back. I wouldn't let him die on me not after he'd saved my life in Afghanistan.

"C'mon stay with me, You don't get to die before me" I said and looked up to his eyes for any signs of consciousness.

"John!" I yelled as he came into consciousness and stared at me with unfocused eyes. On the rare occasion loud sounds or screeches can keep a soldier awake when falling into unconsciousness.

I squeezed his hand to see if he was aware of his surroundings and smirked as it closed around my own.

"Don't you die on me" I repeated and looked over to Sam who was wrapping a bit of material around his arm as a tourniquet.

"What's that?" John murmured as Sam eased the needle into his arm.

"C twenty-four." Sam answered. "It's from Carmack's lab."

Reaper jerked his arm away. "No. No way."

"It could save you." Sam added.

"No way, forget it." He refused like a child.

"John, just do it…for me" I said desperately and my voice cracked. He looked at me with what possible could be the saddest puppy dog eyes I'd ever seen.

"Oh Sam, I've done some bad things." John whispered.

"The line starts behind me" I commented and squeezed his hand.

"I know you." Sam said firmly.

"You don't know me, you don't know..." John murmured and shook his head.

"You're my brother, I know you." Sam replied and attempted to inject him with the C-24.

"Wait" John said in a voice just above a whisper. He was so weak already, it killed me that I wouldn't be able to save him.

"Wait, if I should turn into one of those demons…" He started then pulled out his pistol from its holster and placed it weakly into my hand.

"One to the heart, one through the head. Don't you dare hesitate, okay?" He whispered and looked pleadingly into my eyes.

"No, John-" I started to say.

"You take care of Sam, Valkery" He said weakly.

"I can't shoot you, John" I replied firmly. I could barely hold back the tears that threatened to spill but I wouldn't cry not while I still had Sam to look after.

"You won't need to" Sam replied. I was glad she had this much faith in her brother but when the shit hit the fan we'd still have to find another way out of here.

"We'll be the ones decimating mutants, when you come looking for us" I said with the strongest voice I could muster. I leant forward and hugged him.

"Don't be late" I said and kissed the side of his cheek. John weakly grabbed my arm as I attempted to move and looked into my eyes.

"I've always been with you" He said between ragged breaths and I smiled sadly as the second tear I've cried in three years ran down my cheek. John weakly smiled. He slowly lifted his hand and wiped the tear from my cheek with his thumb. Why was I so emotional? Why did I care so much? Why the hell did it hurt so much?!

I once asked John if he was with me and he didn't answer. In a way we always looked out for each other even as enemies, we both used Brian as the excuse but now he was gone it was clear to me…I had caught feelings for John. Were they always there? I'll never know. Quite frankly I could drive myself insane thinking about it.

"I know" I responded softly and looked back to his unfocused eyes.

"Shit!" I hissed and quickly shook the tears from my vision. I stood and paced back to the door that was starting to give way.

"I know you John" Sam whispered and injected him with the chromosome. She sat back and watched for any signs of transformation.

"When will we know?" I asked and knelt down next to her. I snapped my head up as John gasped and his body seized. Now John was gone I had to reprise the role that I never wanted again, a leader, someone to give Sam hope...A Commander.

"A few minutes" She replied as the pummelling on the door became deafening. I quickly holstered John's gun and readied my rifle.

"The door won't hold that long" I said firmly and looked around the room.

The only way out of here was through the door that was surrounded with the infected scientists. Shit!

I could only see tables and wire with the odd can of bug spray. I looked up and saw a crawl space that led into the ceiling.

"Sam" I looked to Sam and back to the crawl space in the ceiling. The door was bending as we spoke. I pushed a table under the grate and motioned for Sam to climb up. She looked at the vial and her hand and searched for a place to put it.

"Here, pass me it" I said and took the half empty vial of C-24 off her. I placed it into the front pocket of my vest and jumped at the sound of the door shattering. They'd find her sooner or later in the ceiling...if I didn't stop them

"Quickly!" I hissed and gave her a leg up into the ceiling. I moved the cover back over the crawl space and jumped off the table.

"Sin!?" Sam called desperately.

I watched with wide eyes as the infected filed into the storage room with groans and snarls.  
>"Pray for war" I gulped and raised my weapon. I clenched my jaw as I was pushed to the ground and surrounded by the approaching mob.<p> 


	20. In my time of dying

**_In my time of dying_**

I'm gonna fight for what's right  
>Today I'm speaking my mind<br>And if it kills me tonight  
>I will be ready to die<span><br>

* * *

><p><span>This chapter is dedicated to crazybooklover19, It took me a while but I got the next chapter up ;)<span>

* * *

><p>I shot my way through the hoard of infected and rolled to the side in-between the trampling feet of the mutated. In a matter of seconds I scrambled to my feet and pulled the trigger of my rifle into the open mouth of a creature. The thing's head rebounded off the wall with the force of the shot and I held my arm up as the crimson blood splattered on toward my face.<p>

"Dammit!" I swore and shook the thick clotted blood off my gloved hand. The thing thudded to the ground next to John's lifeless body and caught the attention of the other mutants. My eyes scanned the room for an escape as I smashed a mutant's head in with the butt of my rifle. I smirked at the table in front of me and mounted the object. In a swift movement I leapt over the hoard, a slight groan escaped my mouth as my fingers gripped the top of the doorframe and I propelled my body into the hallway. They clawed and snarled at me as I ran for my life through and further into the hallway. Landing on my feet I glanced over my shoulder and quickly sprinted forward. I hissed as one of the creature clawed through my thermal shirt and into the flesh on my arm.

"Oh, get fucked!" I fired a single bullet into it's skull and continued to run for my life.

"Fuck!" I cursed as I looked at the gauge on my rifle. I only had five bullets left for my rifle and seven in my eagle. I didn't know if John's gun was fully loaded but I was willing to bet it had less than five bullets. I needed to get rid of these fuckers quickly. I rounded the corner into a plain white and grey corridor and powered ahead.

My eyes glanced up and I saw the reflection of the mob in a corner mirror. They had to be at most 5 seconds behind me. Then it hit me and I reached for my grenade. The time delay of 4.4-5 seconds would give me enough time to get to cover. I took a deep breath before unclipping the round object off my belt. I was willing to bet not even the genetically superior could survive such a forceful blast in a confined area. I prayed there were no gas lines in this section of the facility.

"Shit" I murmured and took a deep breath before looking back over my shoulder. My hand quivered while I took out the pin and held down the lever. I took a stride forward before I dropped the grenade at my feet and bounded forward. My rifle smacked against my hip as I ran and my mind raced with doubt.

"Fuck,fuck,fuck,fuck,fuck" I chanted in fear I wouldn't reach a safe distance in time. My heart felt like it was going to burst out of my chest in anxiety while I sprinted to the nearest intersection of hallways.I swiftly dove behind a corner just as the small bomb detonated and held my arms over my head for cover. The blast shattered the wall I was next to and buried me in debris. I held up my arm as chunks of drywall fell on my body. The world went black as a piece of wall collided with my temple and my head bounced off the lino floor.

* * *

><p>"Sin?" A soft voice woke me from my concussion. I winced at the pounding in my head and squirmed underneath the debris of wall. I coughed violently as I pushed a section of wall from my body and sat up. The water raining down from the fire detectors had me drenched in seconds.<p>

"Sin?" Sam's voice echoed in my voice.

"Sam?" I called into my mic and leant against the remaining wall for balance as I got to my feet. The world was spinning and I fell against the wall out of dizziness.

"Sin, they have me surrounded." Her voice sounded so scared. Shit...

"Where are you?" I asked firmly and swallowed the lump that grew in my throat. The stench of burnt flesh was nauseating.

"The medical ward, In the north corridor" Sam replied.

"Don't move I'm heading your way now" I called over the buzzing in my ears.

I looked around the shattered wall to the bodies of the infected that were strewn over the ceiling and floor. Blood painted the walls a dark red colour and pooled on the floor.

At least one method was effective. I pushed myself off the wall and blinked through the blood that dripped from my eyebrow. The debris must've reopened it.

I carefully walked past the dead bodies and tried to avoid the blood pool. My boots still left faint foot prints of red but the sprinklers washed it away instantly.

"Here I go again" I whispered weakly and cleared my throat while shouldering my weapon

* * *

><p>"Sam?" I called from outside the medical ward. I kept my weapon raised and walked slowly toward the door. I was pissed and in pain…not a good combination.<p>

I was greeted with a loud snarl as I entered the ward but I silenced it with a single head shot.

"Sam?" I called quietly into my ear piece and stepped over the corps. Another creature bounded toward me with its teeth bared, giving me the perfect opportunity to put a bullet in its mouth. My eyes flickered to the monitor behind me where a creature was trying to sneak up behind me.

"Don't even try" I hissed. I swiftly turned and knelt before firing a bullet into its skull. Its brains splattered on the once cream coloured wall and its body fell back lifelessly onto the tiled floor.

"Sam!?" I half yelled.

"In here" I heard her voice coming from the room to my right.

I swiftly walked toward the locked room and knocked on the door.

"Sam?" I asked and heard the lock click. I turned the door knob and walked into the small storage room where Sam was standing in the corner, gripping onto my glock for dear life.

"Sam, are you hurt?" I rushed toward her and checked over her face. She shook her head weakly and began to shake. She had claw marks on her face but there weren't deep other than that she was fine.

"Sam? Listen to me, did you use the gun?" I asked firmly.

"Its out" She replied in a shaky voice.

"Okay" I replied and reached for John's gun that was strapped to my hip. I took out the clip and counted the bullets before slamming it back in.

"This is John's gun, it has six bullets" I said firmly and placed it into her hand. She handed me back my empty glock and I holstered the useless weapon.

I knew we were fucked, I only had nine bullets all up and one more grenade left.

"I'm getting you home" I said firmly and looked down at my rifle. I had two more shots, I better make them count.

"Let's move" I ordered and patted her shoulder before taking the lead out of the stuffy storage room.


	21. Acid Rain

_**Acid Rain**_

We walked silently through the corridor I'd blown up as the sprinklers drenched us both. It was obvious I was involved by the black charred marks on my face and clothing. My whole body ached with every step but I couldn't give up, I promised John I'd keep Sam safe and I meant to keep it. The water felt like acid against my face from the many cuts and bruises i'd sustained.

"Sin?" Sam asked quietly. I was barely keeping my eyes open.

"Yes" I responded and kept my head up to look ahead.

"Thank you" She said firmly and squeezed my free hand.

"For what?" I asked in confusion and looked over my shoulder to her.

"For not giving up on John" She responded and looked around the debris filled corridor.

"I owed him, for not giving up on me" I replied and kept my eyes peeled for any creepers.

"You bring out the better in him, you know?" Sam said and I smiled sadly.

"Yeah, his 'better' is being a sarcastic asshole?" I responded and she gave me a knowing look.

"I'm sorry he didn't tell you" She withheld a small smirk and looked toward the ground.

"Tell me what?" I asked distractedly as I peeked around a corner.

"That he's completely in love with you" I stopped in my tracks and stared at her with wide eyes. No...

"Come again?" I asked in denial.

"I've seen the way he looks at you. He'd deny it to his grave but he's only had his eyes on you since you arrived here." Sam said softly. It all made sense now.

"He watches out for me because he doesn't trust me" I said in disbelief and continued ahead. Shit, no John couldn't love me.

"He conceals it with his tough guy façade" She responded "But then again so do you"

"You think I'm in love with John?" I almost laughed.

"Look me in the eye and tell me you aren't" Sam replied.

"I…I'm not going to even dignify that with an answer!" I said in disbelief. Holy shit…I couldn't do it, I couldn't deny it?. Why the fuck couldn't I do it?! I furrowed my eyebrows in frustration and shook the thought out of my mind.

"See?" She said calmly. She was right…under all the insults and in my case assaults I had fallen in love with John. Six years I've known him and I'm only figuring this out now.

I ran a hand through my soaked hair in frustration and slowly pulled out the loose hair tie so my waist length hair fell down my back. I still smelt like a sewer but my hair had taken the most beating from the blood that stuck in it and the debris pieces that coated my black hair in white.

We approached the doors to the atrium and I kept my ears peeled for a single sound out of place. Sam pushed open the door and I crept through slowly. I looked around the large hall that appeared to be empty and motioned for Sam to follow.

"Hello ladies" A familiar voice caused me to redirect my aim.

"Sarge" I acknowledged his presence, he leant against one of the stair cases that led to and from the Ark.

"I had hoped you died" I hissed and kept my rifle aimed at him as he approached us.

"And I, you" He retorted with a sly smirk.

"Sam, the door on your right" I motioned toward a thick steel door and unsheathed my eagle before handing it to her. I saw her wide eyed stare and her hesitation in accepting the gun.

"I'll be right behind you" I consoled her.

"On my three" I whispered.

"One—two—three!" I yelled and we both ran toward the door. I made sure Sam entered before shutting the door and locking it from the outside.

"Sin!?" She yelled desperately into the comms and banged against the door.

"I'm sorry Sam you're going home alone, follow the corridors to the elevator and get the hell out of here" I said into the comms.


	22. Knocking on heaven's door

**_Knocking on heaven's door._**

"I planned to shoot you or beat your ass and I'm all out of bullets" I said confidently and threw my rifle to the ground.

Sarge looked at me with wide eyes and raised an eyebrow. He still held onto his massive bio force gun. I was unsure whether he'd shoot me or fight me but I kept my cool.

"Scared, Ash?" I teased and pulled out my old knuckledusters from a pocket in my vest.

"Of you?" He all but laughed and dropped the gun.

I circled him with my usual cocky grin I had when cage fighting. I tapped my metal knuckle dusters together and slipped them over my fingerless gloves.

"Tell me, how many innocent people have you killed?" I taunted and stopped in front of him.

"You want to talk to me about killing innocent people?" He asked in a voice higher than normal. I had made some mistakes but I had never killed a person for the fun of it. I could say I did it for my country but I'd be lying. I killed people for a living because I was damn good at it.

"Look around Sinister, we're all killers in this room" He added.

"Really?...I only see one" I motioned toward him.

"We both know that's not true" He taunted.

"Egypt? Tokyo? Berlin? Hell Afghanistan. In every case is an innocent person you either killed yourself or got killed."

"There are casualties in war" I spat and stared him down.

"You killed a ten year old boy" He replied and I froze. No one was supposed to know about that…it was my first mission in Egypt as a sniper. We were tracking down arms dealers and I had a perfect heart shot of an offender. I took the shot and the bullet missed, it ricochet off the flat side of a concrete building and a fragment flew into a ten year old boy's skull. Death was instantaneous but I never forgave myself.

"You are no better than me, Sinister" He taunted and I launched forward.

I delivered a hard superman punch to his jaw and he stumbled back. I smirked at the blood that dripped from the cut on his cheek bone.

"I am better than you'll ever be" I hissed. Sarge looked up in anger and tackled me to the ground. I could barely breathe under his weight and I winced as his fist made contact with my face. Before he could try for another punch I wrapped my legs around his neck in a headlock and swung him to the ground with my leg muscles.

I was quick to get on my feet and spit out the blood that laced itself in my teeth.

Sarge laid on his back and bounded up from the ground using his arms in a single action. I took my stance and held my hands in front of me as he attacked. I blocked his blows easily and delivered a round house kick to the side of his head while he was busy attacking me. I had stealth from years of training, they called me 'Nightmare' in the cage because once you got in the cage with me you were fucked, no matter what gender.

Sarge stumbled back and charged again but I stepped out of the way and used the 'knee strike' which is basically just bringing your knee hard into someone's body parts in this case I striked him straight in the stomach.

Sarge…growled? And looked at me like a rabid dog. Shit he was infected.

"Fuck" I hissed and regained my stance.

Even he knew he couldn't beat me in a physical fight. I just knew he'd find a way to fight dirty. I was wearing him down, it was visible in his eyes.

Sarge launched himself at me but this time he used an extended knuckle punch that made contact with my injured rib. I fell into the ground in pain from the concentrated blow to the one area. Pain shot up my abdomen from the blow and increased two fold when I collided with the floor.

"Arghh" I groaned and struggled to breathe while clutching my rib cage. Shit, I needed to get on my feet.

"You see Sinister I don't play fair, I play to win" I heard Sarge taunt and felt his foot come down on my abdomen. I could feel my ribcage crushing under the force and any moment now a rib could pierce through my heart and I'd be a goner.

"Tell me, where you instructed Doctor Grimm to go" Sarge ordered and held his glock to my head.

"Why don't you go fuck yourself?" I spat and concealed a scream of agony as he put more pressure on my injury.

"Don't make this harder than it needs to be, soldier" Sarge spat with wild eyes.

I needed to figure out a way to escape this pin, since Sarge wouldn't play clean I didn't see the reason why I had to. What weapons did I still have? Grenade? To suicidal, Knuckledusters? Not much help,Eric's hunting knife? That'll work.

I reached down slowly to the knife that was more so under my ass at the moment.

"Now tell me, where is Doctor Grimm?" He lifted me easily by my vest to his shoulder height which gave me the opportunity to grab the knife.

"You really want to know?" I asked, trying to distract him while I slowly pulled out the knife. He gave me a stern look that said tell me or die.

"Shes-" I took the opportunity and stabbed the knife into his neck. I let go of the handle as he looked to me with anger. It didn't even fucking faze him.

"So you choose death?" Sarge hissed before ripping out the knife from his neck in one gruesome action and stabbing it with so much force that it went through my Kevlar and pierced the flesh just above my belly button. I gasped at the burning pain and looked down in shock as I crumbled to the ground .


	23. And justice for all

**_And justice for all…_**

"Argh!" I groaned in agony as felt something cool stinging the wound and reached into my pocket in fear. No..fuck! I winced as my finger was sliced open by a bit of glass. No… the vial of C-24 had broken and was seeping into my stomach wound through my vest while I was out. I was infected…

The knife in my abdomen wasn't in that deep but it was deep enough, I'd slowly bleed out in a couple of hours if the infection didn't get me first. Shit

"I guess I'll find Doctor Grimm at the elevator" Sarge mused and his footsteps faded to nothing. I was going into shock, my hands shook uncontrollably. I couldn't stay here to slowly die while Sarge did who knows what to Sam. I needed to protect her from him… for John.

I dragged myself toward my rifle that lay on the floor and held back the groans of pain and objections of my body. My hand shakily gripped the weapon and I looked over the gauge. I had two bullets left…one for Sarge and one for myself…

I shook off the temporary blindness from my concussion and slowly got to my feet. Immobilising pain shot through my core and I doubled over in agony.

"Fuck" I hissed weakly and limped after the way Sarge had gone. I couldn't keep the knife in my wound it was too painful but taking it out would be a task of its own.

I had manage to stumble toward the main desk and fell shoulder first into the hard object in disorientation.

"Sam" I whispered weakly into my mic and looked over my shoulder toward the monitor to see if John's kill cam was up but mine was the only one in action.

"Sin?" Sam's voice echoed in my ear and I blinked violently to keep myself conscious.

"Sam, where are you?" I muttered.

"I'm waiting for you by the elevator" She responded firmly. God, why didn't she leave?!

"Find a room and lock yourself in, don't open the door for anyone…not even me" I responded. I wasn't sure how much time I had left before I turned into one of those things.

"O…okay" She stammered and the line went silent.

"Shit" I hissed weakly and reached for the handle of the knife that was lodged into my vest.

"Oh, god damn!" I cursed at the searing pain that came from just applying pressure to the blade.

"One-two-" I murmured and gripped the onto the handle. "Argh!" My scream echoed throughout the atrium and I crumbled onto the floor.

"Fuck!" I yelled to keep myself awake and sheathed the knife. I was taking too much time, I needed to get to Sam now or die trying.

My hands shook uncontrollably as I applied pressure to the wound with one hand and grabbed onto my rifle with my other. It took a few tries but I managed to stagger to my feet by using the desk as a support.

* * *

><p>I held back the nagging agonising pain that told me to give up and soldiered forward.<p>

"Sam?" I asked shakily through my mic and rounded the last corner to the elevator.

The line was silent which meant one thing, Sarge had found her.

I kept my weapon raised and fastened my pace toward the intersection where the second entry to the atrium and the corridor that led to the elevator connected.

I poked my head around the corner and my eyes rested on a figure in a white lab coat.

"No…Sam!" I cried desperately and rushed to her side.

"Talk to me Sam" I said weakly and pulled her body into my lap.

She had a bruise forming on her cheek and a thin line of blood from the impact. Visible bruising went all the way around her neck and her knee cap seemed out of place. If I had gotten there sooner, she would be okay. This was on me.

"Sam?" I asked in a raw monotonic voice and cradled her head against my chest.

"Sin" I heard a faint whisper and quickly glanced down to Sam.

"Sam?" I asked unsurely as her eyes fluttered open.

"Sin, I tried to…but he was just-" She tried to explain with tear filled eyes.

"Sam, look at me" I said firmly as she propped herself up on her elbow.

"You did your best, I couldn't have asked you more than that" I said in a monotonic voice. My breathing was hoarse and ragged.

"Sin?" Sam asked in worry and quickly got onto her knees.

"Oh god, Sin you're bleeding" Sam observed and motioned toward the blood that spilled down the front of my vest. I had tried to cover it with my hand but it shook uncontrollably.

Sam reached into her lab coat to try and find something to patch it up with but came up short.

"We need to get you to the infirmary" She added weakly and grabbed onto my arm but I didn't budge.

"Sam…" I forced her to look at me. I wouldn't be dead weight for her to carry, she'd be better off without me.

"Go" I added with a sad smile, knowing she could make it out alive.

"No-" She shook her head like a child.

"Sam, I'm infected. You need to go" I added firmly.

"Sin, no. I can't do this without you" Tears spilled from her eyes and her voice cracked slightly. It broke my heart but I wouldn't put her in danger. I found myself tearing up by her devastated face.

"Sam, you can do anything" I commented and grabbed her chin.

"Anything" I added weakly as dots clouded my vision.

"Sin-"

"I'm sorry, I failed you" I murmured as the world became blurred and my eyes felt heavy.


	24. If i die tomorrow

_**If I die tomorrow**_

"Sin!" Sam's voice caused me to jump out of my void into death and grip onto my gun.

Sam jumped back slightly by my reflex but settled as I lowered the weapon. Shit! This fucking pain was killing me.

The sound of gunfire caused me to become alert and I snapped my head in the direction of the firefight. It sounded like it was coming from the atrium…John?

"Sam, I need you to get to the elevator" I murmured and groaned as I attempted to stand but fell shoulder first into the wall beside me. My mind was racing with thoughts and possibilities of dying in this place but I couldn't be selfish. I would die a happy marine if I could get Sam and maybe even John out.

"No, Sin-"

"Sam, you would've made a fine marine" I commented while breathing shallowly.

"Get to the elevator and wait for John" I ordered and pushed off the wall.

"Sin?" Sam asked quietly.

"Yes, Doctor?" I mused and slowed my pace, knowing if I stopped I'd never start again.

"I'll be waiting for you, don't be late" She used my own words against me and I let out a pained chuckle.

* * *

><p>I could hear yells and grunts as I approached the second level of the atrium. It was pitch black aside from the light shining from the lower level. I aimed my weapon at the sound of something slamming into and wall and looked over the destroyed railing to see it was John.<p>

Sarge looked to have wire wrapped around his fist to use as brass knuckles and punched John straight in the face which sent him flying into the wall with a grunt. I needed to do something, but I couldn't aim from this level and risk killing John. My eyes met the staircase that spiralled toward the centre of the room and I rushed toward them.

I winced with every step and watched as John took multiple hits from a mutated Sarge until he started to fight back. I knelt at the landing of the stair case and aimed my weapon. I needed to wait for the perfect opportunity, I only had two shots. My hands shook which made my aim unpredictable.

Sarge kicked John over the other side of the room which gave me the perfect opportunity to take the shot. I aimed and fired a single shot which scraped the side of his neck.

Sarge stopped mid stride and glared back at me.

"You just refuse to die, soldier!" He was almost fully mutated, veins stuck out from his forehead and his eyes looked diseased. I heard him snarl at me before he leapt back and grabbed me by the front of my vest. I looked at him with hatred and delivered a single punch to his jaw.

"Semper Fi" He hissed and lifted me by my vest with one arm. Semper fidelis, a Latin word that means "always faithful" or "always loyal".

"Non timebo mala" (I fear no evil) I struggled against the force on my windpipe. "You prick" I added in English.

"Goodbye, Sin" Sarge said simply and flung me toward a concrete pillar.

I gasped as my head made impact with the structure and my body crumbled lifelessly to the ground. Pain ran up and down my spine like being stabbed with knives over and over. I tried to reach for my rifle but I could no longer feel my hands.

I let out an inhuman scream before I felt my bones dislocate and suddenly my brain felt too big for my skull.

* * *

><p>"Valkery!" I distantly heard John call before the world went black.<p> 


	25. Through the ghost

_**Through the ghost**_

Did you hide yourself away?  
>Are you living through the ghost?<br>Did you finally find a place  
>Above the shadows so the world will never know?<br>The world will never know you like I do

_"__Move your ass, soldier!" Commander Valkery Syn ordered to a lanky blonde marine who was falling behind on her obstacle course. _

_Her steel gaze was enough to get the soldier moving at double speed up the net wall. I watched in disbelief at my former self as she pushed her fringe out of her eyes. I myself had dislocated my knee cap stumbling up the wall. I had to admit John was right the dip dyed purple hair was atrocious. _

_"__Lighten up, Syn" Brian mused from beside her and nudged her with his elbow._

_"__I'll lighten up when you find me soldiers" She hissed back and pushed the clipboard she was holding into his chest before walking onto the obstacle course. Wow…I really was a bitch…_

_Brian smirked down at the clipboard and turned to see the action. I walked next to him and smiled at his expression. He never took his eyes off her…well…me. I knew he wouldn't be able to hear me so I stood contently and watched her._

_"__Eric Fantom, step forward. The rest of you can go" She hissed. I looked around the old base and spotted a few familiar faces but there was one in particular that caught my attention. My former self didn't even notice John was there with the rest of the crowd that gathered around the course. He was watching like a hawk with his arms crossed and his usual stern expression. _

_"__I have three soldiers including myself, I need at least one more to form a task force and I need them by yesterday" Valkery hissed at Brian. _

"You have one" Brian said firmly and caught her by surprise.

"I can't let you leave your team high and dry, Brian" She said firmly and crossed her arms.

"They'll survive without me" He replied.

I held my arm over my head as the memory shattered like a piece of glass.

_"__Syn!" John called as he stormed into the training room where Valkery Syn had a poor marine in an arm bar on the ground. She didn't even flinch and continued to apply more force to her submission hold until the blonde haired marine tapped out._

_The black and purple haired Commander patted her opponent on the back before getting to her feet._

_"__What?" She glanced to John before taking a swig out of her water bottle._

_"__You can't pick and choose soldiers from unit 6" He stated. _

_"__Unfortunately that isn't your decision and if someone should want to talk to me it should be Asher, not his field grunt" She spat back and pushed past him. No eye contact or anything, she just brushed him off like he was nothing. I was kind of beginning to hate my former self._

_I walked after John as he followed her to the locker room and stopped her by grabbing her arm before she could open the door to the ladies locker room. The expression on her…my face was one I knew too well, he was about to get hit…_

_"__What do you want me to say John?" She hissed angrily and stared daggers at him. I remember the stress and anxiety I had over choosing a team, hell being responsible for a team scared the shit out of me back then. I would be damned if I didn't rise to the expectation though, pushing myself was something I'd excelled at in the marine corps. It was do or die._

_"__I didn't force Brian to join my team" She added firmly. She couldn't have cared less what he thought of her but she'd rather let him hear the truth from her. _

_"__Your team?" He all but laughed. _

_"__Your team is nothing but a group of misfits and rejects that the military didn't want" He said firmly._

_"__Get your hand off my arm before I break it" Valkery stated firmly and plainly. The spark in her eye told me she'd do anything to prove him wrong and I did. _

_"__And you as their leader? You won't last a day" He hissed. I had to admit young John was also a dick._

_"__You're pathetic John, truly. No wonder Brian was so keen to leave and join a real team" She spat and smirked at his pissed off expression. I knew I liked to piss off John but this was a little excessive. Granted he did insult my team._

_"__You're playing with fire Valkery, watch yourself" John added and let go of her arm._

_"__Is that a threat, soldier? To a higher ranking officer? Asher will not be pleased" She teased. I widened my eyes in surprise, I really was obnoxious. John and I had run for the role of commander but I had got it because of my martial arts background and experience in the field._

_"__Unlike you I didn't get forced into the military by murdering an innocent man, it is my choice to be here and I would love nothing better than to see you fail. I would rather join the godamn girl scouts than be outranked by a criminal!" He spat._

_People assumed what they would and rumours went around like a massive game of Chinese whispers. They didn't know the true story and I didn't correct them._

_I winced as Valkery brought back her fist and slammed it into his jaw. John touched his jaw in surprise and glared and her while wiping the blood of his lip. She went for another hit but he caught her fist. I knew she was holding back because she was on thin ice with the Colonel from the last time a marine pissed her off. I've had broken arms, a fracture in my skull, snapped ribs and too many bruises to count from marines playing dirty but you break a man's arm one time and everyone looses their god damn minds. _

_"__Don't do anything stupid, commander" John chided simply and leant forward to whisper something in her ear but she gave him a harsh head butt. _

_"__Punch up!" A marine yelled as Valkery pushed John against the wall with her arm against his throat. He could've fought back, though he'd get nowhere. He didn't even try to hurt her…me_

_"__Commander!, get off my soldier!" Sarge yelled at her. Her head snapped in Sarge's direction then back to John._

_"I'll see you on the battlefield John__" She said simply before releasing him from her hold and walking into the locker room._

_"__Fuck!" I heard John curse and lean back against the wall._

_I looked into his eyes and saw regret mixed with sadness almost. It was strange seeing him so raw. I couldn't comprehend the stupidity of this man to rile up Valkery Syn, he was either very brave or he wanted a reaction out of her…well me._

_"__You're an idiot" I chided and followed after him as he entered the men's locker room. _

_"__Got beaten up by the Commander I see" One of the marines that had gathered to see the fight asked with amusement._

_John didn't say anything he just walked to the sink to observe the damage on his face in the mirror._

_"__What are you? A bunch of gossiping skirts? Get out!" Asher ordered as he entered the locker room._

_The soldiers piled out one by one snickering and laughing. Sarge locked the door behind him and turned to John._

_"__What did you do, John?" He asked sympathetically._

_"__She can't just take Brian from beneath us…malicious bitch.." John stated and trailed off. He winced as he wiped off the blood from the cut in his lip with paper towel._

_"__Serves you right" I snickered._

_ "__It's his choice" Asher stated and let out a sigh._

_"__I know but it's the wrong goddamn choice, he's joining that team because he's in love with Valkery not because he wants to" John stopped wiping the blood from his lip and stared at Asher._

_"__And you're not?" Sarge questioned with a concealed smirk. Both John and I gave Sarge the same look of disbelief._

_"__What? That shifty bitch, no!" John replied in a higher pitch than normal. _

_"__I'm not blind, John" Sarge added._

_"__Leave it, Ash" John said firmly._

_"__Why does it bother you so much, John?" Asher questioned in a firm tone._

_"__Because he should be on unit six not her team, he's too damn good to blow it away for one woman" John stated. I understood his frustration but all in all it was Brian's decision after all._

_"__Let him decide that" Sarge stated and unlocked the door behind him before stepping out._

_I watched with softened eyes as John sat on the bench to the right and pulled at his dark hair in frustration._

_"__Fucking. Valkery .Syn" He said softly and laid back on the bench. I never knew how I affected him so powerfully._

_I closed my eyes and when I opened them I was in the familiar cab of a chopper._

"RRTS 1 come in" Sarge called into his mic as the cab swayed then stabilised.

"RRTS 1: Sinister, I've been hit" I snapped my head to the direction of the speaker in shock.

My eyes trailed back to John who looked to Sarge with wide eyes.

"Shit" He stated in a voice just above a whisper.

"Move out" Sarge ordered and shouldered his weapon.

The old taskforce filed out one by one and I followed behind John. The team approached the RRTS unit one chopper that was engulfed in flame except John, he looked left then right before taking off to the right.

I jogged next to him and looked up to see two motionless bodies on the grass about twenty metres away from the chopper. Oh god, that was me…

I knelt next to John and looked down at my former self's bleeding wounds.

"Valkery?" John asked softly and she drowsily moved her head in our direction. Her hand moved for her rifle and I could almost feel the agonising pain as she got into a crouching position.

"John" She replied in relief and suddenly her eyes widened at the red dot on his forehead.

"No!" I yelled but they couldn't hear me.

"Get down!" She pushed him to the ground and flew back as the bullet made impact with her chest.

"Sin!" John called desperately and crawled over to her body.

"Sarge she's over here" He called into his mic as she drifted into unconsciousness.

"Sin!" He called desperately and quickly unzipped her Kevlar vest. I jumped at the sound of a gunshot and snapped my head up to see Sarge take out the member of the Taliban that'd shot me. I looked back down to John, he was putting pressure on the wound even though the blood was never ending.

At the time I didn't realise how bad my condition was. My skin was almost white and my veins stuck up like speed bumps. The blood was the worst thing, it was everywhere. It stained my…her face and drenched the shirt she was wearing underneath her vest. The stomach wound looked like someone had shot me with a double barrelled shot gun at close range.

"Stay with me Valkery" John said firmly with a hint of emotion.

I knelt next to him and just observed his facial expression. He was trying so hard to keep his calm exterior but I could see he was scared to death. Once again I closed my eyes and the scenery change to a small hospital room.

I was still next to John but he was no longer in his uniform, he was wearing faded jeans and a plain black t-shirt. In the hospital bed was me…well Valkery. A breathing apparatus kept her alive and needles stuck out of her arms as the monitors beeped and told us she was still hanging on. I turned back to John who was holding a dictionary or a small book I guess he found in the confined room.

He leant back in his chair and glanced in her direction.

"Valkyrie: "Chooser of the slain." Valkyries are described as beautiful shield maidens or goddesses who bare only helmets and spears. 'If you see a Valkyrie, it means only one thing, you're going to die.' "John read and smirked at the last sentence.

"That's the truth" He added and glanced in her direction with a frown.

"Don't look at me like that, John" I said firmly and walked around the front of the hospital bed where a folder was placed.

"Valkyrie Syn, 26" I read out loud. Legally my name was Valkyrie but I changed it to Valkery when I joined the marines.

"This doesn't sound promising" I said flatly as I read over the procedures and surgeries I had done.

"Don't you die on me, Valkery" John spoke softly and place his hand in her open palm.

I could only stare in amazement as her fingers slowly curled around his hand, indicating she wasn't done fighting yet. I couldn't help but smirk at the wide smile that grew on John's face from the few seconds her hand squeezed his. He knew I wouldn't give up that easily.

"You'll fight to the death, won't you?" He added with a sad smirk and placed a kiss on her forehead before walking out of the room. I shook my head in disbelief and rubbed my eyes in frustration. If I knew how much my 'Death' would've affected John, hell even Eric I wouldn't have accepted the offer. But I did save a lot of lives by accepting it. I didn't think anyone would miss me while I was gone, but I was wrong. God...I was so wrong...

"Valkery!" I snapped my head toward the source of the noise but no one was there.

"Don't you die on me, Valkery!" John's voice echoed in my ear.


	26. Fade to Black

**_Fade to Black_**

**_Dust to dust,_**

**_Ash to ash,_**

**_Fade to black…_**

I couldn't see anything I could just hear grunts and crashing noises in the distance before a robotic voice rang out.

"Three-Two" I drowsily tilted my head to the side and hesitantly opened my heavy eyes. The figures were blurred but I could tell the soldier about to send Sarge into the liquid ball of doom was John. They were connected by some sort of metal that stuck through John's hand.

"One" John unwrapped the metal bar from his hand and watched as Sarge was sucked back to mars. Hell just gained a new monster.

"Like the kid said, go to hell" John commented before reaching into a bag on the ground, pulling out an ST grenade and popping the top. As soon as he hit the button he projected the object into the liquid ball with a under arm throw.

Sarge was gone, John had done it...

Pain spread through my core like I'd swallowed a packet of razor blades and I rolled onto my back. I balled my fists tightly and winced slightly at the sound of my knuckles cracking inhumanly. This virus was a bitch, It attacks you from the inside before it starts transformation.

"Valkery" I heard John's voice from across the room. Although my mind screamed at me not to, I pushed off my elbows and moved into a sitting position with my legs outstretched in front of me and my back against the wall. My breathing was shallow and ragged, the skin on my hands was almost paper white.

"Arghh" I hissed and put pressure against the wound on my stomach that bleed uncontrollably. I was losing vision and strength fast but I wouldn't let John see it.

"Valkery" John said softly as he knelt next to me and brushed the loose hairs from my face. I knew he suspected something was wrong from the way his expression changed when I looked up at him. His eyes drifted from my own then to my hand that was covering the wound.

John closed his eyes and exhaled deeply as he moved my blood stained hand.

"Take Sam and go John" I said with the firmest voice I could muster. He looked betrayed almost but mostly pissed off that I would even suggest it. Virus or no virus I wouldn't make it home.

"No, I can fix this" He replied and took a better look at the cut flesh like a few stitches and some antibiotics would fix this. I knew I was done for. I looked up at him as he pulled up my once black thermal shirt and his jaw immediately clenched. My eyes trailed down to the gushing wound on my stomach and I realised what he was looking at. Purple and blue veins etched the wound: Indicating infection.

"John-" I tried to tell him that I was infected but I could barely speak above a whisper.

"Valkery, I'm bringing you home" He said firmly and attempted to lift my numb body before I intervened and grabbed his arm. Now or never…

"I'm infected, John." I said drowsily and looked desperately into his eyes. He slowly set me down against the wall and knelt so close to me I could feel the heat emitting from his body.

"You're a good person Valkery, you'll be okay" John added distractedly, he sounded like he was trying to convince himself more than me. I was dying and I knew it, but It was worth the sacrifice to see both Grimm siblings get out alive.

"No, John. I'm not like you. I've killed too many people to be a good person" I replied shakily and put my hand up to the zip of my vest. It hurt to breath let alone move. _Fuck_!. My hand shook as I unzipped the Kevlar vest and pulled it off over my shoulders.

"Argh!" I hissed and John pulled me closer against his chest to keep me from harming myself.

"John, go!" I yelled desperately as another wave of pain shot over my core and my whole body began to shake.

"Why did you accept this mission?! Damn it Valkery!" John yelled in fear and annoyance before punching the wall beside him.

"Well I couldn't pass up the opportunity to piss you off one final time" I answered weakly and turned my head toward him. He looked at me with a stern glare before a sad smirk formed on his face.

I could feel my throat closing with every breath I took and I swallowed back the blood that formed in my mouth. I closed my eyes as John placed his hand on the side of my face and caressed it with his thumb. My head burned in agonising pain as body swayed to the left. I felt my body falling but I lost consciousness before striking the cold ground.

* * *

><p>"Valkery, Stay with me!" A panicked voice caused my body to jerk back upright and I groaned in pain from the quick movement. I found myself quite literally in John's arms as he applied pressure with one hand and kept me upright with his arm that was wrapped just under my breast line. His chest was against my back so I couldn't see his expression but I knew it wasn't good.<p>

"You tell your future wife and kids that it was a woman named Sinister that set your ass straight" I said weakly as a single tear dripped down my cheek and I sleepily looked up at him. I wasn't sad, just disappointed. He clenched his jaw and stared down at me, his piercing eyes held a sadness mixed with determination. Like he was choosing to ignore my comment.

"I've loved the same woman for almost five years now and I'm not going to give up on her just yet" John said with a sad smile and wiped the tear from my cheek.I inhaled a shallow breath and struggled for another as my heart beat wildly against my chest. Why now? I was nothing but hostile and defensive around John for almost seven years, how did he manage to fall in love with me through that? I pushed people away with my aggression and pent up anger because I knew at least if I never came back from a mission, I wouldn't leave some unfortunate bastard to grieve for me.

I gave John a weak smile and put my hand on top of his. The truth was I was tired, tired of the killing, tired of looking over my shoulder every five seconds, I was tired of limping back from a mission and having to stitch myself up before heading out again only to come back in worse condition, I was sick of adding new scars to my collection every mission but the worst thing was I was tired of being the one to come out alive...

"If you love me you'll leave me with a grenade and get the fuck out of dodge, soldier" I said firmly and looked into his hazel eyes. Through the haze of green I could see he was terrified.

"No, I'm not leaving you here Valkery" He replied firmly and shook his head defiantly. I couldn't feel my legs anymore and my hand twitched involuntarily, I wasn't going anywhere.

"Look at me John, I won't make it another ten minutes let alone the time it would take to reach the surface." I said with closed eyes as another wave of agonising pain washed over me. Oh, god I could feel my bones snapping and then moving back into place.

"Valkery!?" John asked with panic as I screamed in pain and he pulled me back against his chest.

"John, don't you let me turn into one of those monsters!" I said between clenched teeth.

"One through the heart" I said softly and motioned toward his handgun. The blood that gushed out of my wound felt so warm against my cold skin.

"I won't need to" John replied and looked down at my broken body. I could feel the disease pulsing through my veins, slowly but surely it would be circulated through my entire body and I would turn into one of those things.

"I'm sorry, I failed you" I whispered as dots filled my vision.

"What are you talking about Sin?" John asked with tears in his eyes and with a heart breaking voice.

"You ordered me not to die on you and I tried but It just wasn't enough, for that I'm sorry" I said between shivers, his grip only tightened and I looked up to his eyes.

"The order still stands" John replied as a single tear left his eye. I weakly raised my hand wiped the tear away from his cheek with my thumb. I wouldn't let him cry for me.

"Always so optimistic" I replied with a sad smile that was quickly retracted. My body felt like it was being ripped in two then put back together only to receive the same fate. I slumped to the side so my head was against John's shoulder to relieve some of the pain in my abdomen.

"I never hated you John, you were the only one that told me when I was out of line. I admire that" I said slowly and glanced over to him. He knew this was my way of saying goodbye.

"I'm not leaving you Valkery" John replied with a firm tone.

"You either leave me or die trying to save me" I said weakly but with heart and placed a hand on the side of his face as he looked to the ground. He knew I was right.

"I will always be with you, I always have been" I added and he looked up into my eyes with an understanding expression. It was only ten words but they were the ten words John had been waiting to hear for five years.

"I…I love you too, John" I said softly and watched as a sad smile formed on John's face and he cautiously leant downward. It was the moment he'd been anticipating for years and it was anything but disappointing.

My pain was temporarily gone as John's lips made contact with my own and a tingle ran up my spine. It was a deep and loving kiss that we both didn't want to break from because we knew what would happen next.

John broke the kiss after what seemed like a second but was probably more like a minute or two and wrapped his arms around me, not for restraint but for reassurance.

We didn't say anything he just held me and refused to let go. I placed my aching head against his chest and placed my hands over his own. His body was so warm compared to mine. Death was looming closer, I could feel it by the numbness in my body.

"I wish we had more time" I murmured into his Kevlar. I knew he understood what I meant by the way his body stiffened.

"No, Valkery-" John grabbed my shoulders and looked me in the eye.

"It's okay John" I said with the best smile I could muster.

Another tear ran down John's face as he pulled me into one final loving kiss and knelt in front of me.

"Tell Sam, I'm sorry I kept her waiting" I added in a monotonic voice.

"Valkery-" John started but I cut him off.

"I leave you my Rifle and Glock" I cleared my throat to stop my tone from sounding weak "Sam already has my Eagle" I commented and pulled my holstered weapons from the sides of my hips for the last time.

"I almost forgot" I smirked weakly and pulled out a note I'd written a few hours before hand from my side pocket of my cargo pants. I outstretched my arm and waited for him to take the note and weapons.

John eyed the death note and hesitantly pocketed the piece of paper with his and Sam's names neatly printed in cursive writing on the front. He shouldered my rifle that lay to the left of me and lodged the other gun in his vest.

"Shit, Sin I can't-" John's voice was soft and he looked to the ground in attempt to hide his emotional state.

"If we wait until we're ready we'll be waiting our entire lives" I replied as another wave hit.

"One through the heart, one through the head' I repeated his words and he looked at me with guilt.

"No...-"

"John just do it!" The growling voice that came from my mouth wasn't my own. He looked at me with tear filled eyes at the sight of me transforming in front of him. I watched as the wounds on my body began to heal and my knuckles broke through my gloves.

"I'm sorry, Sin" John's voice cracked as he reached for his gun.

"Semper Fi" I said with a smile and gave him one last reassuring wink as he kissed the top of my head.

"Semper Fi" He responded and pushed the barrel of his gun against my chest. I took a deep breath as he cocked the weapon with shaky hands and his finger traced the trigger.

I put my hand over his and looked into his eyes with a stern expression. He looked so torn, it broke my heart but it was do or die at the moment and I needed to stay strong for him.

"Reaper, Do or die" I spoke weakly to the soldier not the man. There was a lingering pause were we both just looked into each other's eyes with the same expression of anguish. I pushed the gun closer to my chest and put my finger on top of his trigger finger.

"I…I love you" John said hesitantly in a husky tone as tears formed in his eyes.

"I love you too, John" I responded in a frail tone and stared into his eyes with determination.

_Do it… _

*Bang*

They say you never hear the bullet that takes you down. But it was the last thing I heard mixed with a small whimper from John as the bullet tore through my flesh and the world went black one last time…

* * *

><p>The End...<p> 


End file.
